Iran allows Chinese ships through Strait of Hormuz

Iran has allowed several Chinese vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under what it described as established protocols governing the management of the strategic waterway, according to a report by the Fars news agency published on Thursday, May 14.

Citing an informed source, the report said the vessels began transiting the strait on Wednesday evening after an agreement was reached on the application of these protocols.

“According to the source, following the intervention of China’s foreign minister and the country’s ambassador to Iran, the facilitation of the movement of Chinese vessels was agreed on the basis of deep bilateral relations and strategic partnership. As a result, it was decided that a number of Chinese vessels requested by Beijing, after agreeing on Iran’s protocols for managing the strait, would be able to pass through this area. The passage began from the evening of the previous day.

Experts believe that this decision, based on Iran’s internal protocols, neutralises any possibility of political use of the strait for external pressure and strengthens Tehran’s position as a capable manager of this vital route,” the publication writes.

By Tamilla Hasanova