Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghaji said the Strait of Hormuz remains open for navigation during a press conference at the Iranian embassy in New Delhi [2, 4].

The status of the strait is critical to global energy security, as the narrow waterway serves as the primary artery for oil tankers leaving the Persian Gulf. Any perceived restriction on transit can trigger immediate volatility in global oil markets and increase military tensions in the region.

Reports regarding the scope of this openness vary. According to Al Masry Al Youm and Youm7, Araghaji said that the strait is open for passage with the exception of ships belonging to countries that are at war with Iran [1, 2]. However, a report from Reuters indicated that the minister said the waterway is fully open to all vessels [3].

Araghaji linked the current geopolitical climate to a lack of trust in Western diplomacy. He said that the primary obstacle to diplomatic efforts is a lack of trust in the Americans, and he questioned the seriousness of Washington regarding negotiations [1].

Iran has frequently cited security concerns and distrust of the U.S. as justifications for its maritime policies in the region [1, 3]. The conflicting accounts of Araghaji's statements, ranging from total openness to the exclusion of hostile nations, highlight the tension between Iran's desire to maintain commercial traffic and its willingness to use the strait as geopolitical leverage.

The Iranian embassy in New Delhi served as the venue for these remarks, placing the statements within the context of Iran's broader diplomatic engagement with Asian partners [2, 3].

“"The Strait of Hormuz is open for passage except for the ships of countries that fight us."”

The contradiction between the reports of total openness and the exclusion of 'hostile' nations suggests a strategic ambiguity in Iranian diplomacy. By signaling that the waterway is open for commerce while simultaneously threatening restrictions on U.S.-aligned vessels, Iran maintains a tool for economic pressure without fully closing a vital global trade route.