Iran will not “allow” other countries to de-mine the Strait of Hormuz, declaring only Tehran will take on the responsibility, according to its foreign ministry — despite expert analysis that it doesn’t have the capability.
“Demining is to be carried out exclusively by Iran and by no other country,” Gharibabadi said in a post on X. “In principle, we will not allow any other country to do so.”
It came after French President Macron said on Monday that France agreed with Oman to assist in clearing the strait of mines as part of a coalition with allies.
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“We have decided to collaborate jointly, in coordination with our partners, on demining the strait to secure maritime routes and ensure free and unconditional passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Macron posted to X following Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik first-ever state visit to Paris.
The statement invited backlash from Tehran, which is working with Oman on plans to maintain the strait once fully reopened.
“The situation is sensitive and complex,” Gharibabadi said. “We strongly advise France not to make it more complicated with its provocations.”
The kerfuffle added another hiccup to Iran-Oman relations, after Tehran fired suicide drones at a ship transiting through a US-backed Omani route last week in protest of Muscat’s unilateral decision to open up the separate path along its coast of the strait.
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While the US-Iran MOU explicitly states that Iran will be responsible for clearing the strait and opening it up for safe passage, naval experts told The Post on Friday that Tehran does not have the “experience or technology” for large-scale demining efforts.
“The best thing possible is for Iran to identify where they think they put the mine, and then for us to go clear it,” Foundation for Defending Democracies’ senior fellow, retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery said.
“Do I think they could clear a mine? Yes. Do I think they could sanitize an area as valid, verify an area as clear of mines in a way that a merchant ship would trust it? No,” he added.
In addition to France and its European coalition, the US military also has plans and is prepared to move forward with demining operations if diplomatic talks continue to progress, a defense source familiar with military planning told The Post last week.
