Cargo Ship Attacked, "Withdrawal Operation Halted"... Iran Insists on "Designated Routes"

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It has been confirmed that a report was received regarding a cargo ship being attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran had previously warned that it could not guarantee the safety of vessels that do not follow designated routes, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended its ship withdrawal plan just one day after its announcement.

Reporting from Washington, this is Lee Hanseok.

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The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that it received a report on June 25 (local time) that a cargo ship passing near the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz was suspected of being attacked.

The vessel, a Singapore-flagged container ship, reportedly signaled that it was struck on its starboard side by a projectile.

While the bridge was partially damaged, there were no reported casualties.

Reuters reported that while it is unclear who carried out the attack, there is a possibility that a drone targeted the ship.

Previously, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran warned that safe passage is only possible when using routes designated by Iran, and that it would take action against vessels that do not comply.

Immediately following the attack, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) decided to temporarily suspend its plan to withdraw ships and crews from the Strait of Hormuz just one day after it was announced.

The IMO stated that the vessel in question was not transiting according to the withdrawal framework, and that the withdrawal plan would remain suspended until safe navigation can be ensured.

Meanwhile, Oman announced that no transit fees will be imposed on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the future.

This statement contradicts Iran's claim that it would impose fees on merchant ships passing through the strait 60 days after follow-up negotiations on an end-of-war agreement with the United States.

In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he plans to hold talks with Oman regarding the future management of the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that Iran is expected to attempt to persuade Oman to accept the imposition of transit fees.

(Video by Park Eun-ha)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.