An Iranian official explains details of a new draft law to control the Strait of Hormuz

On Friday, the spokesman for the National Security Committee in the Iranian Parliament, Hassan Qashqavi, explained the details of a new Iranian draft law for managing the Strait of Hormuz, and said that it “provides for preventing Israeli and hostile ships belonging to countries participating in the war against Iran from crossing the Strait.” Qashqavi added that the draft law on “strategic action to secure security and sustainable progress in the Strait of Hormuz” is very different from the laws we had before, especially since Article 16 of it stipulates the repeal of violating laws, according to what was reported by the semi-official Iranian “Tasnim” news agency.

The Iranian official added that, according to the draft law, “Iranian administration will be imposed on the Strait of Hormuz, taking into account national security and national interest, and the possibility of applying Iranian administration to the Strait in both entry and exit will be virtually preserved. On the other hand, Iran will inevitably meet the costs that usually arise for preserving the environment, navigation, refueling, and so on,” according to the “Tasnim” agency.

The spokesman for the National Security Committee in the Iranian Parliament indicated that the draft law stipulates that “Iran must recover the costs for the services it provides, and that ships affiliated with the Zionist entity and hostile countries, and those that carry out military operations against us or carry military cargo, cannot cross the Strait of Hormuz.” The Iranian official explained, "Other ships owned by non-hostile countries must obtain a permit from the General Staff of the Armed Forces in accordance with the controls contained in the law," Tasnim news agency reported.

He said, "Another part of this project relates to the name (Persian Gulf), which means that all documents and conversations must use this name and not any other designations," he said. He stated that "the project is awaiting its transfer to the plenary session of Parliament to vote on it," according to the "Tasnim" agency.

The US Treasury Department recently included the newly established Iranian body to force shipping companies to comply with its rules related to the Strait of Hormuz, to the US sanctions list. The Strait Authority has been placed on the Treasury Department's list, generally prohibiting Americans from doing business with it.

The US Treasury Department said in a statement that the establishment of this body is a new attempt by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard “to achieve financial gains through a state-sponsored terrorism campaign, by extorting ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.” Iran has sought to implement a new protocol to cross the Strait of Hormuz since its actual closure of this vital waterway following the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran on February 28. The Iranian state-affiliated Noor News Agency reported that the authority was established on May 5 as a “legal body and official representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, responsible for issuing permits and regulating maritime traffic” through the Strait.