London, Apr 20 (EFE).- Iran will “never” relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, calling it an «inalienable right,» a senior Iranian lawmaker said Monday, as tensions mount ahead of uncertain ceasefire talks with the United States.
«It’s our inalienable right… Iran will decide the right of passage, including permissions for vessels to pass through the strait,» Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliamentary Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy, told the BBC.
Azizi said Tehran is preparing legislation that would formally regulate maritime transit through the strategic waterway.
«We are introducing a bill in parliament, based on Article 110 of the constitution, covering environmental protection, maritime safety and national security. The armed forces will implement the law,» said Azizi, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
His remarks come amid growing international concern over the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of global oil consumption passes.
Azizi described the route as a key strategic asset that Iran has turned into «one of our assets to face the enemy» during the ongoing conflict.
According to the BBC, Azizi represents the views of hardliners who now dominate Iran’s parliament and are gaining influence in the country’s decision-making process following a series of high-level assassinations in Israeli strikes.
Iran’s political leadership has become increasingly militarized, with the IRGC playing a more prominent role in national policy, particularly on security and foreign affairs.
With just two days remaining before the Iran-US ceasefire expires, negotiations scheduled for Tuesday in Islamabad remain uncertain, as Iran has yet to confirm its participation.
Tehran and Washington have accused each other of violating the truce.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after the United States reportedly attacked and seized an Iranian vessel near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, deepening the crisis surrounding the critical maritime route. EFE
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