Iran says it has final say on Hormuz shipping routes under deal

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is in continuous contact with regional countries and does not consider any of them enemies, adding that the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iran's authority to manage shipping. Araghchi said the fifth article of a memorandum of understanding assigns Iran the task of arranging the resumption of maritime traffic in the strait at pre-war levels. Under the article, he said, Iran has the authority to determine the route and transit path, and any addition of a new passage or removal of an existing one must be carried out in consultation with Tehran within the framework of the article. Iran's designated route is based on security and navigational safety considerations, Araghchi said, because the region is littered with mines. He alleged that the United States has redirected ships away from Iran's designated route and effectively steered them toward another path through the strait. The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the region, following Iranian strikes on what it described as U.S. interests after American attacks on several Iranian cities.