Iran says "non-hostile vessels" can pass through the Strait of Hormuz after coordinating with Iran

Goldmoney reports that on March 25, according to the Financial Times, Iran has issued a letter to members of the International Maritime Organization stating that “non-hostile ships” can pass through the Strait of Hormuz after “coordination with Iranian authorities.” In the letter distributed to IMO member states on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that Iran has taken “necessary and proportionate measures to prevent aggressors and their supporters from exploiting the Strait of Hormuz to carry out hostile actions against Iran.” Currently, about 3,200 ships are stranded in the Persian Gulf, and since the outbreak of conflict, at least 22 ships have been attacked by Iran. The IMO held an emergency meeting of member states last week, during which negotiations are underway to establish a humanitarian corridor allowing ships with severe supply shortages to exit the Persian Gulf. Recent vessel tracking data indicates that Iran is permitting a small number of ships to pass through a route within its territorial waters. Analysts believe this route allows Iranian authorities to verify ships’ identities before granting passage.