Iran's Foreign Minister: Attempts to Change Rules on Strait of Hormuz Will Escalate Tensions

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that any attempt to change or adopt new rules regarding the Strait of Hormuz, other than those already agreed with Iran, will increase tensions. According to Iran, any such effort will cause delays in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. “Any attempt to adopt new or separate arrangements compared to what is being done by the Islamic Republic of Iran will only lead to a more complicated situation and delays in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and will increase tensions, as we have witnessed in the last two nights,” Araghchi said at a press conference, as reported by AFP on Sunday (28/6/2026). Araghchi made the remarks during a visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. He also called for the establishment of a security framework with the Gulf states, as Tehran and Washington trade accusations of violating a fragile ceasefire intended to end the war in the Middle East. “We must reach a new framework that includes all countries in this region and without the presence or interference of any country from outside the region,” Abbas Araghchi said, as quoted by Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, a number of vessels continued to use routes not approved by Iran in the strategic waterway, according to tracking platforms on Friday. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said a day earlier that Oman and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) had announced the new corridor without consulting Tehran, and warned ships against using it. Araghchi’s warning came after the US military said it had carried out new strikes against several targets in Iran, in response to a fresh attack on a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded to the US strikes by launching attacks on American bases in Gulf states. The recent clashes have tested the negotiation process to end the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on 28 February. Araghchi called on all parties to “adhere to the memorandum of understanding and not allow this memorandum of understanding to deviate from its path.”