Iranian FM: Strait of Hormuz open to non-belligerent states

The Strait of Hormuz remains open for safe international navigation, but this does not apply to countries that are in a state of war with Iran.

This position was outlined by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all, and vessels can pass safely; however, states that are at war are not included in this list,” China Central Television quoted Araghchi as saying. The Iranian minister thanked Beijing for its emergency humanitarian assistance and emphasised that Tehran seeks a comprehensive, rather than temporary, ceasefire.

For his part, Wang Yi stated that Beijing opposes violations of state sovereignty and calls on all sides to seize any opportunity to launch a peace process. “Dialogue is always better than continuing war,” he noted, adding that China will continue to play an active role in de-escalating tensions in the Middle East.