Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Aug 10: Iran's parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has approved the general outlines of a strategic action plan aimed at ensuring the “security and sustainable progress” of the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf, official news agency IRNA reported.
The plan was discussed at a committee meeting and approved without opposition, committee spokesperson Hassan Qashqavi said, according to IRNA.
Qashqavi said lawmakers had reviewed proposals submitted by relevant Iranian authorities before approving the general framework. The legislation was formally introduced in Parliament on July 13.
Iran tightened restrictions on the strait on February 28, barring safe passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following joint strikes on Iranian territory.
In June, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon. The two sides were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days to reach a final agreement, but escalating tensions in the region have cast uncertainty over the talks.
In July, the US military carried out multiple waves of strikes on Iranian targets, saying they were in response to Iranian attacks on vessels in the strait and intended to “degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping”. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes against US military bases and facilities in the region.
Meanwhile, Iran and Oman have been negotiating for several weeks over the designation of a new route through the Strait of Hormuz to facilitate safe maritime traffic.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has said there are currently no negotiations underway between Tehran and Washington.
Speaking to reporters at the Centre for Political and International Studies of Iran's Foreign Ministry, Araghchi said intermediaries were continuing efforts to find a way to resume talks, semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.
“We currently have no negotiations with the United States. Intermediaries are still making efforts to find ways to resume negotiations. From our perspective, there can be no resumption of talks until the United States ends its violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and makes amends for the breaches it has committed,” Araghchi said.
He reiterated that Tehran would not consider resuming negotiations until the US ended what Iran describes as violations of the memorandum and addressed the alleged breaches.