Head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee Ebrahim Azizi issued a stern warning to the United States on Monday, asserting Iranian authority over the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump threatened to take over the strategic waterway. In a post on X, Azizi stated that the Strait is "neither your personal casino nor the backyard of modern-day pirates" and affirmed that the final decision regarding the diplomatic chokehold rests with the Iranian people and armed forces.
Azizi's Response to Trump's Threats
"You make threats; we take action. The Strait of Hormuz is neither your personal casino nor the backyard of modern-day pirates; these are Iranian sovereign waters, and the ultimate decision rests with the noble people of Iran and its brave armed forces," Azizi wrote on social media platform X. His remarks came after Trump disclosed on Sunday that he held talks with Iranian officials overnight on Saturday, warning Tehran against any attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz and threatening severe repercussions.
Trump's Warning and Proposed Actions
In an interview with Fox News, Trump stated, "You close it, and you won't have a country. You won't even make it back to your f***ng country." He also suggested that Washington could assume direct operational control to secure the global shipping corridor and potentially levy transit fees on oil shipments. "We may take over the Strait if we have to. I'll blow the sh*t out of them," Trump said, adding, "If they don't make a deal, we'll collect tolls."
Establishment of Communication Line
Despite the heated rhetoric, Iran and the United States have established a direct communication line to "avoid incidents and miscommunication" in the Strait of Hormuz, mediators Qatar and Pakistan announced on Monday after the first round of high-level talks under a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The joint statement issued after the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland's Burgenstock stated, "In addition, a communication line between the parties has been formed for the period mentioned in paragraph 5 of the MoU to avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz."
Details of the Memorandum of Understanding
The communication channel is tied to paragraph five of the memorandum, which states, "Upon the signing of this MoU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge, for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa." Under the provision, Iran has committed to facilitating the movement of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz without imposing transit fees during the 60-day negotiation period. The memorandum further states, "The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start," signalling the immediate resumption of commercial maritime activity throughout the strategic waterway. The measure requires Iran to address obstacles to navigation and begin operations within a month.
