Iranian Parliamentary Spokesperson States Tehran Aims to 'Nationalise' Strait of Hormuz

Tehran — Iran intends to pursue the ‘nationalisation’ of the Strait of Hormuz, similar to how Iran nationalised its oil industry in the past, stated Abbas Goudarzi, a spokesperson for the presidium of the Iranian Parliament, on Tuesday.

“When the nationalisation of oil occurred, history judged the significance of that decision at the time. Today, we wish to nationalise the Strait of Hormuz,” said Goudarzi, as reported by the ISNA news agency.

Goudarzi’s statement refers to the nationalisation of Iran’s oil industry in 1951. That move was driven by Mohammad Mosaddegh, a pivotal political figure during the era of the Iranian Empire and a leader of the movement within the Iranian Parliament that supported the idea of nationalising the country’s oil and gas sector.

Meanwhile, the United States has repeatedly demanded that Iran immediately open the Strait of Hormuz for free navigation and cease demanding transit fees from passing vessels. Conversely, Iran intends to establish a joint mechanism with Oman to regulate shipping through the maritime route, which includes the imposition of transit duties on ships.

On 28 May, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Oman that the US would target anyone facilitating the collection of transit duties in the Strait of Hormuz as established by Iran. Furthermore, US President Donald Trump has threatened to “blow up” Oman should they attempt to take control of the strait.

The escalation of conflict in Iran has resulted in a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for the shipping of oil and LPG commodities from the Persian Gulf to global markets, leading to disruptions in oil production and exports. Due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, many countries are currently experiencing rising prices for oil and its industrial derivatives.