Bangladesh has been included in a list of “friendly nations” permitted safe passage through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian authorities.
The announcement comes amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East that has seen a 95 percent drop in shipping through the waterway, which typically handles one-fifth of the world’s oil.
Speaking on Iranian state television on Thursday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi clarified that while the Strait is under restriction, it remains open to specific partners who have coordinated with Tehran.
He explicitly named Bangladesh as one of the countries that has communicated with Iran to ensure the safety of its vessels.
“These are countries that spoke with us and coordinated with us, and this will continue in the future as well, even after the war,” Araghchi stated, also identifying India, China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iraq as nations on the safe passage list.
He noted that the Iranian armed forces are providing protection for these transits.
The Strait of Hormuz has been under a “chokehold” since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran last month. In response, Tehran has sharply restricted access, resulting in a dramatic decline in maritime activity.
Data from the shipping intelligence site Lloyd’s List and analytics firm Kpler indicates that daily transits have plummeted from an average of 120 to just 155 total crossings between 1 March and 25 March.
Minister Araghchi maintained a “no entry” policy for adversaries, asserting that vessels linked to the United States, Israel, and certain Gulf nations involved in the crisis will be denied clearance.
“We are in a state of war. The region is a war zone, and there is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their allies to pass through,” he said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is strictly enforcing these transit authorisations. Earlier this week, the IRGC forced a Pakistan-bound container ship, the SELEN, to reverse course at the entrance of the Strait because it lacked the necessary permits.
The effective closure of the conduit for a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas has triggered global fuel shortages.
Supply chain disruptions are impacting businesses ranging from supermarkets to airlines, prompting some governments to consider economic support measures similar to those used during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Of the limited traffic still moving through the Strait of Hormuz, the majority consists of oil tankers and gas carriers travelling east. On Wednesday, only two vessels were detected crossing the waterway, both heading west.
