Iranian authorities have responded harshly this Tuesday to Qatar's criticism of the attack on a Qatari oil tanker in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that they consider these claims "questionable" and once again defending Iran's role in managing this strategic enclave.
The spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmail Baqaei, stated in a statement broadcast by IRIB that "The accusations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar against Iran regarding the alleged attack on a ship linked to that country in the Strait of Hormuz are questionable and contrary to the principle of good neighborliness, therefore this type of behavior is unacceptable."
The Iranian representative recalled that Tehran is committed to implementing "the necessary measures for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz and the provision of maritime services," within the framework of the preliminary agreement reached with the United States on June 18. He insisted that Iran "will seriously fulfill its commitments and expects the same from the countries of the region," thus claiming its role in the administration of the passage.
In this regard, Baqaei remarked that Qatar, in its capacity as mediator, knows firsthand the details of the memorandum of understanding signed with Washington and urged shipping companies to "refrain from any action contrary to the provisions of the agreement."
Likewise, he warned that "The actions of some commercial vessels transiting routes not coordinated with Iran, along with the disabling or manipulation of the ship's tracking system or GPS in order to take the vessel out of the reach of surveillance and security systems, will cause risks, environmental problems, insecurity on the route, and interference in the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran to facilitate safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
Tehran has been warning for weeks that the security of transit through Hormuz cannot be taken for granted without prior coordination with Iranian authorities, and has criticized the creation of "parallel routes" that leave the Islamic Republic out.