Iran has warned that Israeli attacks on Lebanon represent a “red line” in ongoing peace negotiations, as Tehran simultaneously staked out its claim to charge ships for using the Strait of Hormuz after the current 60-day ceasefire window expires.
The Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva delivered the stark warning over Lebanon, as Israeli strikes on the country continued to strain the fragile memorandum of understanding agreed between Tehran and Washington. The ambassador described the attacks as incompatible with the terms of the deal.
In a separate but related development that threatens to complicate the broader peace process, Iran and Oman have formed a joint committee to discuss the future of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf confirmed on Telegram. Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, Iran is required to ensure toll-free passage for commercial vessels for at least 60 days, with full restoration of traffic within 30 days. However, Ghalibaf has made clear that this arrangement is temporary. “The strait of Hormuz will not return to pre-war conditions,” he has repeatedly insisted, and speaking on Iranian state television he said: “Iran has the right to sovereignty over the strait of Hormuz and of course we will receive a fee for services.”
The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most critical energy chokepoint, through which around a fifth of global oil and gas supplies pass. Tehran’s insistence on eventually charging for its use directly contradicts the Trump administration’s repeated assertion that the waterway would be permanently opened toll-free, and threatens to become one of the most contentious issues during the 60-day window in which a final agreement is supposed to be negotiated.
