Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview with state TV, added that ships from Russia, China, Pakistan, and Iraq, too, have been allowed safe passage through the waterway

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview with state TV, added that ships from Russia, China, Pakistan, and Iraq, too, have been allowed safe passage through the waterway

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview with state TV, added that ships from Russia, China, Pakistan, and Iraq, too, have been allowed safe passage through the waterway

In a major win for India’s diplomatic stand amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, Iran has said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open for “friendly nations” such as India, Russia, China, Pakistan and Iraq.

In an interview with Iranian State TV, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi clarified that the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of the global oil and gas trade, is not completely closed.

"Many of the shipowners, or the countries that own these vessels, have contacted us and requested that we ensure their safe passage through the strait. For some of these countries that we consider friendly, or in cases where we have decided to do so for other reasons, our armed forces have provided safe passage," Reuters reported Araghchi as saying.

"You have seen on the news: China, Russia, Pakistan, Iraq, and India. Two of its ships passed through a few nights ago, and some other countries, and even Bangladesh, I believe. These are countries that spoke with us and coordinated with us, and this will continue in the future as well, even after the war," he said.

Araghchi, however, asserted that ships belonging to the United States, Israel and their allies will not be allowed to transit the critical maritime chokepoint.

"We are in a state of war. The region is a war zone, and there is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their allies to pass through. But it remains open to others," Araghchi said.

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