Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Thursday (21 May) they would allow 31 commercial ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. AnewZ’s Touraj Shiralilou reports from the strategic waterway as it becomes central to peace talks between Iran and the U.S.
The IRGC’s announcement came on the same day that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned there could be no resolution to the conflict with Iran while Tehran continued charging ships fees to use the sea passage.
AnewZ’s Touraj Shiralilou visited the Strait of Hormuz to report on the latest developments.
Traffic through the waterway has fallen to a trickle compared with the 125 to 140 ships that passed through the strait before the war began at the end of February.
Before the conflict started, around a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has allowed safe passage through the waterway for a limited number of vessels, provided they pay a navigation fee.
The U.S. began blockading Iranian ports in mid-April in an attempt to pressure Tehran into ending its effective closure of the strait.
However, Iran has doubled down. Earlier this week, the government established the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to manage the waterway and presented a map detailing the geographical area it intends to control.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz, along with uranium enrichment, remained a major sticking point preventing Tehran and Washington from reaching a peace agreement.
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Azerbaijan has made a notable appearance at one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian events, with a large delegation participating in the CHIO Aachen tournament in Germany, according to the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation.
The inaugural Enhanced Games are set to take place in Las Vegas on Sunday (24 May), launching one of the most controversial experiments in modern sport, in which athletes openly compete using performance-enhancing drugs banned under traditional anti-doping rules.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its risk assessment for the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to “very high”, as infections spread across eastern provinces and into neighbouring Uganda amid growing security and humanitarian concerns.
Archaeologists in Kyrgyzstan’s Naryn region are uncovering medieval bathhouses, mausoleums and ancient Silk Road settlements, while warning that many historical sites are rapidly deteriorating because of the weather and erosion.
The inaugural Enhanced Games are set to take place in Las Vegas on Sunday (24 May), launching one of the most controversial experiments in modern sport, in which athletes openly compete using performance-enhancing drugs banned under traditional anti-doping rules.
As the 13th edition of the World Urban Forum ended, Azerbaijan's Pavilion showcased reconstruction efforts in its liberated territories and foregrounded the importance of mine removal in resettlement efforts.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 23rd May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukraine’s military denied that it struck a student dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region on Friday (22 May).
China has revised the number of dead following a gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China, from 90 to 82, in what is the country's deadliest mining accident in 17 years.
A "largely negotiated" memorandum of understanding on an Iran peace deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday, though the Iranian Fars news agency disputed that claim.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a memorandum of understanding with Iran has been largely agreed, with final details now being finalised ahead of an announcement expected shortly.
The U.S. and Iran have given mixed signals about progress in peace talks, after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there had been “some progress,” while Iran’s Foreign Ministry said major differences remained.
Disputes over control of the Strait of Hormuz and uranium enrichment continue to hinder peace talks between the U.S. and Iran, as Pakistan stepped up mediation efforts during meetings in Tehran on Friday.
Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade enriched uranium must not be sent abroad, according to two senior Iranian sources, marking a firm tightening of Tehran’s position in ongoing negotiations with the United States.
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