“Never.” This is the firm stance of a senior Iranian lawmaker regarding the relinquishment of control over the Strait of Hormuz.
“It’s our inalienable right,” Ebrahim Azizi, a former commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), stated to the BBC in Tehran. He emphasized, “Iran will decide the right of passage, including permissions for vessels to pass through the Strait.”
This position, he added, is on the verge of being enshrined in law.
“We are introducing a bill in parliament, based on Article 110 of the constitution, which includes provisions for the environment, maritime safety, and national security – and the armed forces will implement the law,” explained the member of parliament who heads the Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy.
As global concerns escalate over the potential closure of this strategic waterway and its ensuing economic repercussions, it is evident that this is not a short-term crisis.
The ongoing conflict has provided Tehran with what it perceives as a new strategic advantage. Azizi described this highly strategic strait, which Iran has leveraged during the conflict, as “one of our assets to face the enemy.”
Azizi is a prominent figure in a parliament largely composed of hardliners. His views are indicative of the perspective among senior decision-makers within the new order shaped by the conflict, which has seen increased militarization and a stronger influence from hardline factions, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), following a series of high-level assassinations attributed to Israeli strikes.
Tehran now views its capacity to control vital maritime traffic, including critical oil and gas tankers, not merely as a bargaining chip in ongoing negotiations, but as a long-term strategic leverage.
Mohammad Eslami, a research fellow at the University of Tehran, explained, “The first priority for Iran after the war is to restore deterrence, and the Strait of Hormuz is among Iran’s principal strategic leverages.”
He added, “Tehran is open to discussing how other nations can benefit from Iran’s new framework for the strait, but control remains the bottom line.”
Understanding the Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway situated between Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman.
This waterway, approximately 21 miles (33 km) at its narrowest point, connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, establishing it as a vital global shipping route.
Approximately 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically transits through the Strait of Hormuz.
This oil originates not only from Iran but also from other Gulf states including Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
In 2025, an estimated 20 million barrels of oil passed through the waterway daily, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) – representing nearly $600 billion (£447 billion) worth of energy trade annually.
Maritime traffic has seen a significant reduction since the onset of the conflict.
However, this future is contested by some of Iran’s neighbors, who have expressed strong disapproval of attacks on their countries during the five weeks of conflict, now paused by a fragile temporary ceasefire.
Dr. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the President of the United Arab Emirates, described it as “an act of hostile piracy” in a recent interview.
He warned that Iran’s refusal to relinquish control of these international waters would establish a “dangerous precedent” for other strategic waterways globally.
Azizi retorted, “They are the pirates who sold our region to the Americans,” referencing US military bases across the Middle East, which, along with other infrastructure, have been repeatedly targeted by Iranian drones and missiles. He further asserted that the US was “the biggest pirate in the world.”
“We have always said we need to work together to secure our region,” Azizi emphasized.
This vision has been complicated for most Gulf states, with the exception of Oman, one of Iran’s closest regional allies, which controls the southern coast of the Strait. Oman had engaged in discussions with Tehran earlier this month to ensure the smooth and safe transit of vessels.
Internal Dynamics and Disagreements
There have also been indications of disagreements – the extent of which remains unclear – within Iran’s military and political elite.
This was highlighted by recent, rare, and strongly worded criticism directed at Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after he posted a statement on social media on Friday declaring the Strait of Hormuz “completely open.”
US President Donald Trump immediately responded with a capitalized “THANK YOU” in a social media post.
Within minutes, news outlets associated with the IRGC criticized Araghchi.
The state-run Mehr news agency stated that the foreign minister’s post had “provided the best opportunity for Trump to go beyond reality, declare himself the winner of the war, and celebrate victory.”
Another news agency, Tasnim, described it as a “bad and incomplete tweet that created misleading ambiguity about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Araghchi later clarified that the waterway was only open to ships authorized by the IRGC navy and through designated routes that required the payment of tolls.
Azizi dismissed any suggestions of internal rifts within the regime, stating, “When it comes to national security, there are no moderate or hardline approaches.”
The fate of this strait is expected to be decided at the highest levels of the state. It is a central issue in high-level talks reportedly set to resume in Islamabad on Tuesday, following a first round of historic face-to-face negotiations in the Pakistani capital last weekend.
Trump announced he was sending a delegation, which a White House official informed the BBC would again be led by US Vice-President JD Vance.
Iranian officials have remained silent on whether their team, led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, will return to Pakistan. Local media reports suggest Iran will not attend as long as a US blockade of Iranian ports remains in force.
Trump has repeatedly demanded Iran open this maritime corridor, including in a strongly worded social media post on April 5, where he warned Iran would be “living in hell” if it failed to comply with his command.
He has now accused Tehran of attempting to “blackmail” the US.
“I don’t expect much from a man who twists the truth,” Azizi scoffed. “We are just defending our rights in the face of American blackmail.”
Like many high-level Iranian officials, Azizi frequently responds to Trump with critical social media posts on X. This access to the international internet contrasts with the near-total digital blackout imposed on the majority of Iranians for many weeks.
Azizi, whose parliamentary responsibilities include national security, did not specify when the internet restrictions would be lifted, only stating, “when it is safe and secure we will lift the ban so that the enemy will not take advantage.”
He was also questioned about recent arrests and reports from human rights groups, including Amnesty International, concerning dozens of death sentences issued to protesters detained during January’s nationwide protests, which were suppressed with lethal force, resulting in many casualties. Several executions, including of young individuals, have recently been carried out.
Azizi reiterated the government’s assertion that US and Israeli spy agencies (the CIA and Mossad, respectively) were involved in the unrest.
He dismissed growing concerns among some Iranians that internal security measures would be further tightened.
“In war, even in a ceasefire, there are rules,” he declared.
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