Iran warns ships must work with Tehran for safe passage through Strait of Hormuz

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on Friday warned that ships seeking passage through the Strait of Hormuz must coordinate with Tehran, in accordance with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) it signed with the U.S.

"Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside of Iran's considerations as the coastal state, cannot be guaranteed," he posted on X. "Any credible framework must be based on coordination with Iran and the provisions of paragraph five of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Otherwise, the outcome will be the suspension of the designated parallel route."

His statement follows Tehran launching drones against a ship moving through the waterway on Thursday, which President Donald Trump condemned as a "foolish" violation of the ceasefire agreement.

The Iran war began in late February, but has been in a state of nominal ceasefire for months, though live-fire flare-ups have occurred intermittently.

Iran and the U.S. signed the MOU earlier this month, though Israeli officials have railed against the terms and continued fighting in Lebanon has proven a sticking point for negotiations.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.