By Deutsche Welle
The Iranian Armed Forces stated this Sunday that they established a “new legal and security system” in the Strait of Hormuzwhich will provide “advantages on the economic, security and political levels,” and warned that countries that apply United States sanctions against the Islamic Republic will face difficulties in transiting through that strategic sea route.
“From now on, countries that follow the United States in applying sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran will undoubtedly face problems when passing through the Strait of Hormuz.”“, declared the spokesman for the Iranian Army, Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia, in an interview with the IRNA agency, where he assured that his country now exercises “well-known and strategic” control over the strait.
According to the military chief, this new situation could have economic, political and security effects, and even contribute to neutralizing US secondary sanctions and part of the primary sanctions. “Today we exercise sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and any vessel that wants to cross it must coordinate with us,” he said.
Geopolitical potential
Tehran keeps Strait of Hormuz closed since the start of the war launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel. The traffic of goods and merchandise is limited, on the one hand, by the US blockade imposed on Iranian ports and, on the other, by the restrictions imposed by Tehran, which is gradually authorizing passage through the strait.
Akraminia, meanwhile, assured that until now Iran had not fully used the geopolitical potential of the strait and allowed the transit of both allies and adversaries. However, The conflict led Tehran to take advantage of this strategic capacity and to redefine the management framework on the maritime route, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and significant quantities of natural gasoline and other key raw materials for the global economy transit.
The US government announced new sanctions against Iranian interests on May 1 and warned of retaliation against ships that pay Tehran authorities to cross this strait.
