A United States official has stated that any temporary shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz will not require permits, approvals or fees.

The official emphasised that no single party controls navigation through the strategic waterway, asserting that vessels will be able to transit without obstacles.

The remarks were made to Al Jazeera, with the official clarifying that “any temporary routes through the Strait of Hormuz will be without obstacles, permits, approvals or fees.” He added that no party has control over the shipping lanes or the ability of vessels to move through the strait.

This statement comes amid renewed tensions over the waterway following comments by senior Iranian official Mohsen Rezaee. Rezaee, who serves as a senior military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, rejected US President Donald Trump’s remarks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He insisted that Iran would not permit any shipping route other than the one designated by Tehran.

Rezaee claimed that the United States had violated a previous memorandum of understanding concerning the strait and had launched attacks without following agreed dispute resolution mechanisms. He alleged that Iran had responded militarily and warned that any US warships using what he described as an unauthorised route would be targeted.

The exchange follows Trump’s statement that discussions were underway to “completely” reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He said the first phase of talks would focus on restoring unrestricted navigation through the key maritime passage.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after signing an executive order, Trump expressed confidence that progress could come as early as Tuesday. He explained that the second phase of discussions would focus on Iran’s nuclear program, reiterating that Tehran “cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump described the current diplomatic engagement as Iran’s “last chance” to reach an agreement. He claimed Washington had paused a planned military strike after requests from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran to pursue diplomacy.

However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei denied reports of any direct or indirect negotiations with Washington. He maintained that Tehran is not engaged in bilateral talks with the United States.

The situation underscores the deepening confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes. The dispute highlights the competing claims of authority between Washington and Tehran, with both sides presenting sharply contrasting positions on freedom of navigation and control of the waterway.

ANI