Iran reports talks with European countries to cross Strait of Hormuz

Iranian state television said Saturday that European countries are in talks with Tehran to obtain permission to cross the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil trade that has been blocked since the Middle East conflict erupted.

"After the passage of ships from East Asian countries, including China, Japan and Pakistan, we have received information today that Europeans have begun negotiations with the Revolutionary Guards Navy" to traverse the passage, state television announced, without specifying the names of these countries.

The Iranian blockade of this maritime route, through which around a fifth of the world's oil production usually transits, is disrupting global markets and giving Tehran a strategic leverage.

Earlier in the day, the head of the parliamentary commission on national security, Ebrahim Azizi, said the country has "set up a professional traffic management mechanism" in the Strait of Hormuz, which will soon be operational.

"In this process, only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran will benefit from it," he stressed, adding that "the required fees will be charged for specialized services." "The route will remain closed to operators of the so-called 'freedom' project," he said, referring to a temporary U.S. military operation aimed at guiding commercial ships stranded in the strait.

The United States maintains its own blockade of Iranian ports despite the fragile cease-fire that came into force on April 8. On Thursday, Iran had already announced that its naval forces had authorized the passage of "more than 30 ships" from China through the Strait of Hormuz. China is the main importer of Iranian oil.