Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, has said that mine clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz will be carried out exclusively by Iran and that no other country will be permitted to conduct such activities.
In a post on the social media platform X, Gharibabadi responded to remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, stating that under what he described as the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” responsibility for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz rests solely with Iran.
He added that the situation remains “sensitive and complex” and urged France not to increase tensions through what he described as “provocations.”
His comments came after Macron announced that France and Oman had agreed to work with international partners on mine clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz as part of broader efforts to reduce regional tensions and safeguard maritime navigation.
The differing statements underscore a growing disagreement between Tehran and Paris over how security should be maintained in one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy shipments, and any dispute over its security has the potential to affect international shipping and energy markets.
