Iran Hardliners Rage Over Claims US Is Bypassing Hormuz Control

Iran Hardliners Rage Over Claims US Is Bypassing Hormuz Control

Conservatives Attack Strait Of Hormuz Deal

Iranian hardliners have launched a fierce political assault on the country's leadership, accusing negotiators of surrendering Tehran's influence over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz through an understanding with the United States.

The criticism is centred on Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and President Masoud Pezeshkian, who opponents claim have allowed international shipping to shift towards an Oman-controlled route allegedly protected by the U.S. Navy.

The row has exposed deep divisions within Iran over how the country should manage one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints following recent diplomatic contacts with Washington.

Ghalibaf Rejects Calls To Close Strait

The backlash intensified after Ghalibaf appeared on state television this week and dismissed demands from hardliners to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to international pressure.

"We must not turn the Strait against itself," he said.

"The Strait is valuable only if traffic through it increases day by day, not decreases."

His comments were interpreted by conservative critics as evidence that Tehran has accepted new arrangements allowing greater use of shipping lanes closer to Oman rather than routes traditionally monitored by Iran.

Shipping Data Fuels Controversy

The dispute gathered momentum after maritime tracking firm Kpler published vessel-tracking imagery appearing to show many international commercial ships transiting on the Omani side of the Strait while escorted by U.S. naval vessels.

Hardline commentators argued the footage demonstrated that international shipping was increasingly avoiding waters they regard as falling under Iran's practical control.

Conservative analyst Ehsan Hosseini accused Iran's negotiators of facilitating what he described as an "Oman-American shipping corridor," claiming the arrangement undermined Iran's leverage over one of the world's busiest energy routes.

He also questioned whether Iran's armed forces had been prevented from enforcing the country's maritime claims.

Military Issues Warning

Amid the growing political dispute, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters issued a warning that commercial vessels must continue to follow routes designated by Iranian authorities.

The military said any ship ignoring Iranian navigation protocols in the Strait would face an "immediate and decisive response," although it stopped short of directly mentioning the alleged Omani shipping corridor.

Several influential Friday prayer leaders adopted an even tougher tone.

In Ardabil, cleric Hassan Ameli accused the United States of creating an alternative waterway alongside Oman, while Ahvaz prayer leader Mohammad-Nabi Mousavifard warned that vessels ignoring Iranian regulations risked being sunk in the Persian Gulf.

Fees At Centre Of Negotiations

According to reports, discussions between Tehran and Washington have also focused on Iran's long-standing demand to collect fees from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Hardliners argue those revenues could eventually rival the country's oil income and accuse Ghalibaf of sidelining parliament to prevent conservative lawmakers from blocking any agreement.

Iranian officials insist the proposed charges would be "management fees" rather than transit tolls, seeking to avoid legal challenges under international maritime law.

The United States has not publicly confirmed details of any such arrangement.

Whether an Oman-backed shipping corridor has formally been established remains unclear, but the controversy highlights the growing internal struggle within Iran over diplomacy with Washington and control of a maritime passage through which roughly a fifth of the world's seaborne oil supply passes.

SOURCE