New Delhi [India], September 30 : Foreign affairs expert Waiel Awwad on Wednesday said the movement of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz could be taking place with Iran’s approval, while commenting on US President Donald Trump’s claim that the largest amount of oil in history had been taken out of the strategic waterway.
Speaking to ANI, Awwad said commercial ships passing through the Strait were required to seek permission from Iranian guards and that any increased movement of oil could therefore be linked to Iran allowing the vessels to pass.
“Well, to be honest, not many people take President Trump... his statement every time very seriously. Having said that, I would say even if this is true, it has to be with the approval of Iran, because Iran has already made it a condition of passage from this one that every ship, commercial ship, has to pass, has to take the permission from the Iranian guards, so they will be allowed to pass when they have the consent of the Iranian,” Awwad said.
He also referred to the recent UN General Assembly engagements involving Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, saying Tehran had indicated that it was ready to halt the blockade if the United States accepted seven points put forward by Iran.
“The second reason is also of the recent UN General Assembly meeting: the Iranian made it very clear that they are ready to... to halt the blockade and, in return, that the United States should accept the seven points that Iran has put it on the table, and they are still waiting for the response from the Americans. So we, we anticipate that could be also a good gesture from both sides,” he added.
On Araghchi’s diplomatic engagements at the UN, Awwad said the Iranian Foreign Minister had been active in discussions with different stakeholders as efforts continued to find a way out of the crisis.
“Absolutely, I believe that was a diplomatic reshuffling and diplomatic shuttle between the... and different corridors of the UN, where the people have noticed that the Arajy was very active with different stakeholders and those good feelers of the United States who wanted to make sure that the Iranian... ease the blockade because the United States have seized the Iranian shores and is not allowing commercial ships,” he said.
“So I believe there are, the diplomacy is at a high, and they're trying to find a solution to the crisis,” Awwad added.
However, Awwad said he was not optimistic about the outcome of the discussions, citing the US position on sanctions and the blockade.
“Having said that, I wouldn't be very optimistic of the outcome of this discussion because the US is adamant about its own policy. President of the United States made it very clear that he's not interested even in easing the sanctions and easing the blockade on Iran because he feels that he's achieving what he wants. I think he is aggravating the situation and making it more murky in a quagmire in West Asia,” he said.
Awwad’s remarks came after Trump, on Tuesday, local time, said Iran would “give up” and claimed that the United States had taken more oil out of the Strait of Hormuz over the previous couple of days than at any point in history.
“They will give up... We took more oil out of the Hormuz Strait over the last couple of days than at any point in history,” Trump said while addressing reporters at the White House following a luncheon with leading technology company executives.
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Tuesday warned the United States and other countries over the Strait of Hormuz, saying that if Iran’s security was not ensured, “no infrastructure will be safe”.