TEHRAN, June 19 (Xinhua) — Iran’s top security body on Thursday announced that it has issued the order for the swift handling of requests by vessels for passage through the Strait of Hormuz in line with meeting the objectives of a newly-signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Tehran and Washington.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) made the announcement in a statement carried by Iranian media hours after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump signed the MoU, electronically.
The SNSC said under the MoU, no fee will be charged for 60 days for passage by ships requesting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, and all the expenses will be covered by the Iranian government.
Vessels seeking to transit the waterway are required to send their requests to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), it said.
“Given the specific circumstances and existence of some safety hazards along the passage route, and due to the necessity to ensure safe traffic and prevent maritime accidents, it is necessary for ships to pass through along the announced route and at the announced time,” it said, giving the assurance that traffic in the waterway would gradually increase.
It said the executive arrangements and technical details for passage through the strait will be announced through the PGSA.
Iran, the United States and Pakistan early Monday announced the finalization of the MoU aiming to end conflict on all fronts, including Lebanon. Pezeshkian and Trump signed the MoU electronically early Thursday.■
