Iran Rejects Foreign Role In Strait Of Hormuz Mine Clearance, Says It Can Secure Shipping Alone

Iran said on Tuesday it does not need foreign help to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, saying it can safely reopen one of the world’s most important shipping routes on its own.

The comments came after French President Emmanuel Macron said France and Oman would work with partners to clear mines from the strategic waterway. Tehran rejected the proposal, saying any outside involvement would only make the situation more complicated.

“Iran knows its responsibilities better than any other party and has the ability to fulfill them, and there is no need for the intervention of others,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters, according to Iran’s state-run IRN news agency.

Baqaei said any foreign intervention would not be carried out with good intentions and would only complicate the situation further. He added that mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz is already covered under the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU), making additional involvement by other countries unnecessary. He also said regional issues should be handled by the countries directly involved.

Under the recently signed memorandum with Washington, Baqaei said Iran will provide free safe passage for merchant ships travelling between the Gulf region and the Sea of Oman for 60 days.

He said merchant vessel traffic would begin immediately and that regular passage would be fully established within 30 days, provided technical and military obstacles are removed and mine clearance is completed by Iran.

“This is a process that has begun and will continue, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is certainly well-equipped to carry out this process without the need for intervention by any other party,” he said.

Baqaei also said communication between Iran and the United States is taking place through political channels rather than military authorities, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry handling contacts on Tehran’s side.

His remarks came a day after Macron met Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in Paris during the Sultan’s first official visit to France.

After the meeting, Macron said France and Oman had agreed to work together with partners to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz to secure shipping routes and ensure “free and unconditional” passage through the waterway.

Iran also rejected the proposal through Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who said any mine clearance operation in the Strait of Hormuz would be carried out only by Iran.

“The situation is sensitive and complex. We strongly advise France not to complicate it further with its provocations,” Gharibabadi wrote on X.

Iran has repeatedly said that navigation management, mine clearance operations and temporary shipping arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz fall under Article 5 of the Islamabad memorandum and remain under Iran’s coordination as the coastal state.

On the diplomatic front, Baqaei said no talks between Tehran and Washington are planned in the coming days, contradicting recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that Iran had requested a meeting with American officials.

He confirmed that an Iranian technical delegation will travel to Qatar later this week but said the visit has no connection to any U.S. officials who may also be in the Gulf.

Baqaei said Tehran has not yet started negotiations on a final agreement because implementing the existing memorandum remains Iran’s top priority.

Qatar on Monday temporarily suspended sailing and fishing boats until further notice, although commercial ships and vessels covered under international conventions are exempt.

The measure also applies to jet skis and other maritime craft. Authorities did not give a reason for the decision.

The announcement came a day after Doha said one of its citizens died after suffering shrapnel injuries linked to military operations in the region after his vessel went missing.

The Strait of Hormuz has remained at the centre of regional tensions since fighting began on Feb. 28 and the Iran-U.S. memorandum came into effect on June 18 to restore maritime traffic and introduce temporary navigation arrangements.

During the conflict, Iranian attacks and threats disrupted cargo ship and oil tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a global energy crisis.

In recent days, Iran attacked two vessels in the strait, including a tanker carrying Qatari crude, despite efforts to reopen Oman’s territorial waters for ships entering and leaving the Persian Gulf.

Those attacks prompted retaliatory U.S. airstrikes and raised fresh concerns about efforts to formally end the conflict. Iran also launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday.

Against this backdrop, Iranian and Omani officials met in Oman on Monday to discuss the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil exports passes, remains one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.

References: AA, telegraphindia