Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on Friday, 26 June issued a pointed warning that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be assured under arrangements that bypass Tehran's authority as a coastal state. The statement directly challenges a joint US-GCC declaration from the previous day that asserted unconditional freedom of navigation through one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints.

What Gharibabadi Said

'Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz under vague arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside Iran's considerations as the coastal state is not guaranteed,' Gharibabadi wrote in a post on X.

He further stated that 'any valid framework must be based on coordination with Iran and the provisions of paragraph 5 of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding,' warning that failure to comply would result in 'the suspension of the designated parallel route.'

The US-GCC Declaration That Prompted the Response

On Thursday, 26 June, the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reaffirmed their strategic partnership at a ministerial meeting in Manama, co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. Foreign ministers from all six GCC states and GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi also attended.

The joint declaration backed the 17 June memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Washington and Tehran, and affirmed that no tolls or fees should ever be imposed on ships transiting the Strait. The ministers declared that 'free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation, including the right of transit passage as guaranteed under international law, remains essential to regional and global security,' explicitly rejecting 'any tolls, fees, or attempts to assert control over the Strait.'

IRGC Navy Reinforces Iran's Position

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy issued a parallel statement on Thursday, stressing that the only authorised routes for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz are those announced by Iranian authorities. Published on the IRGC's official outlet Sepah News, the statement warned that movement through any other routes is 'dangerous and prohibited.'

This comes amid a broader pattern of Iran asserting navigational authority over the Strait, which carries an estimated 20% of the world's traded oil. Notably, Tehran's dual-track approach — engaging in diplomacy through the Islamabad MOU while simultaneously issuing navigational warnings — reflects a calibrated pressure strategy.

What the Standoff Means for Global Shipping

The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical maritime energy corridor, linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Any disruption — whether through route restrictions, fee imposition, or physical interference — carries immediate consequences for global oil prices and supply chains. The ministers also stressed that any lasting regional settlement must address what they described as the 'full spectrum of Iran's threats,' including ballistic missiles, drones, and support for proxy groups.

With the US-GCC bloc and Iran now staking out contradictory positions on the same waterway, the risk of an incident — even an unintended one — has risen. The next test will be whether vessels operating under the Islamabad MOU framework encounter any interference from Iranian authorities.