Iran proposes Hormuz law banning Israeli vessels

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran is preparing a draft law to regulate transit through the Strait of Hormuz, including a permanent ban on Israeli vessels and restrictions on ships from countries it considers hostile, Deputy Speaker Ali Nikzad said on Saturday.

The Strait, which carries roughly a quarter of global seaborne oil trade, has been largely closed since February 28 following the US–Israel war on Iran, with Tehran restricting access and Washington imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports on April 13.

According to Iranian media, Nikzad said the proposal would deny Israeli ships passage “at any time,” while vessels from adversarial states would be barred unless they pay compensation for war-related damages, with other ships required to obtain prior authorization from Iran.

The draft would be adopted with “due regard” for international law and the rights of neighboring states, he said, adding that maritime traffic through the waterway “will not return to its previous state” after the war.

Separately, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warned during a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that restricting navigation in the Strait would endanger regional interests, stressing that freedom of maritime transit is a “non-negotiable principle.”