▲ The Strait of Hormuz
Although the United States and Iran have agreed to halt armed clashes and resume negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, concerns persist that tensions could reignite at any time as fundamental disagreements regarding the management of the strait remain unresolved.
According to foreign media reports, the U.S. and Iran have agreed to stop the attacks and retaliations that had been ongoing since June 25 and to restart talks.
The two sides plan to meet on June 30 in Doha, the capital of Qatar, a key mediator, to attempt to resolve the dispute surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
This agreement narrowly prevents the total collapse of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on ending the war, which both sides signed on May 17.
It is observed that a common ground to halt the use of force was reached as neither the U.S. nor Iran desires a full-scale war.
Iran is in desperate need of time to alleviate economic hardships worsened by the war with the U.S. and Israel and to reorganize its society.
The U.S. administration, led by President Donald Trump, is under pressure to calm inflation caused by the Middle East conflict to secure voter support ahead of the midterm elections in November.
The recent clashes that erupted despite the consensus on a ceasefire were triggered by the two sides interpreting the clauses of the post-war MOU differently.
Article 5 of the MOU states that "Iran will do its utmost to take measures for the safe passage of commercial vessels."
Based on this, Iran claims that exclusive authority to manage the Strait of Hormuz has been granted to them.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated, "The management of the Strait of Hormuz and the full restoration of maritime traffic are Iran's responsibility," adding, "No other country or organization has responsibility or authority over this matter."
This claim is considered the clearest expression of Iran's position on the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has been emphasizing that commercial vessels should use routes designated by Tehran instead of the routes along the Omani coast supported by the U.S., applying this logic to its desire to exercise sovereignty over the strait.
In response, the U.S. maintains its position that the MOU does not grant Iran control over the strait and that freedom of navigation must be guaranteed in international waters.
U.S. officials emphasize that under international customary law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, there is a right of transit passage for free navigation in international waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz.
The difference in interpretation between the two countries immediately led to military clashes.
On June 25, Iran attacked a civilian vessel sailing along the Omani coast, pressuring it to follow the route demanded by Tehran.
In response, the U.S. conducted airstrikes on Iranian military assets involved in the attacks, including communication facilities, drones, and missile bases along the Hormuz coast.
Iran then attacked U.S. military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait with drones and missiles, and the U.S. engaged in further retaliation, causing tensions to escalate rapidly.
This was a repeat of the attacks, retaliations, and counter-retaliations seen in the small-scale conflicts that frequently occurred after the Iran war, which began on February 28, was sealed with a ceasefire.
The Strait of Hormuz, which seemed to be fully reopening following the U.S.-Iran MOU agreement, saw tensions rise again during these exchanges.
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), a multinational organization led by the U.S. Navy, recently raised the maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz to "substantial" following the continued attacks on merchant ships.
Under the new agreement, both sides intend to cease hostilities and allow vessels to transit freely once again.
However, experts believe that while this agreement may temporarily lower tensions, the precarious standoff will continue.
This is because Iran continues to claim exclusive authority over the management of the strait, while the U.S. maintains that this is unacceptable under international law.
The Trump administration does not want Iran to possess the means to exercise control over the U.S. and the international community at any time by controlling the Strait of Hormuz.
During the war with the U.S. and Israel, Iran confirmed the value of the Strait of Hormuz as a deterrent and a bargaining chip by disrupting the global economy.
Although the U.S. and Iran agreed to establish a direct communication line (hotline) between the U.S. military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to prevent military clashes in the Strait of Hormuz during high-level talks held in Switzerland last week, it has yet to be operational.
International oil prices remain heavily influenced by the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, showing volatility by surging when the conflict worsens and plummeting when it eases.
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