Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that any passage through the Strait of Hormuz without authorization is “unacceptable” and will be met with action. At the same time, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that charging vessels for passing through the strait could lead to “complete chaos” in international waterways. The IRGC said on Thursday that the only authorized route for transit through the Strait of Hormuz is the route designated by Iran, adding that any movement outside this framework would be dangerous and unacceptable. The position was announced after Oman introduced a temporary maritime route in coordination with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a move that has prompted a response from Tehran. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that if Iran charges vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, such a measure could become a model for other countries and undermine order in international waterways. Speaking at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain, Rubio stressed that international waterways do not belong to any one country and that no fees should be imposed for passage through them. The Strait of Hormuz is considered one of the world’s most important energy transit routes and, following the recent conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, has become one of the main points of dispute between Tehran and Washington.
