Amid the global fuel crisis triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday has said the strait “remains open” to most vessels and is only closed to ships
belonging to the United States, Israel and their allies.
Speaking to MS Now, Araghchi said ships from other countries are allowed to pass through the key shipping route. “As a matter of fact, the Strait of Hormuz is open. It is only closed to the tankers and ships belonging to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass,” he said.
Ships avoiding route over security concerns
Araghchi said many ships are choosing not to use the route because of security concerns. “Of course, many of them prefer not to because of their security concerns. This has nothing to do with us,” he said.
Iran has claimed responsibility for several attacks on ships in and around the vital oil route, including a Thai vessel on Wednesday. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has previously said vessels must seek permission from Iran before passing through the strait.
Hundreds of ships stranded amid war
The remarks came as hundreds of ships, including many Indian vessels, remain stranded in the narrow sea lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Tehran has largely halted traffic through the route, which normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies, since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran late last month.
Indian tankers cross under Navy escort
Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers – Shivalik and Nanda Devi, owned by the Shipping Corporation of India and chartered by Indian Oil Corp – crossed the Strait of Hormuz on 14 March 2026. They were heading to western Indian ports under escort from the Indian Navy.
The conflict has led to a shortage of cooking gas in India, which has longstanding ties with Iran. On Saturday, Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, said Tehran had allowed some Indian vessels to pass through the strait as a rare exception to the blockade.
