Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated on Friday that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed through “vague arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making that disregards Iran’s considerations as a coastal state.” In a post on the social media platform X, he asserted that any credible framework for navigation in the waterway must be based on coordination with Tehran and the provisions of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The warning came hours after a suspected drone attack on a Singapore-flagged container ship in the Gulf of Oman, an incident that has refocused attention on the fragile security architecture of the region.

According to Iranian state-linked media, Gharibabadi’s statement was a direct response to what Tehran views as attempts to establish alternative shipping corridors that exclude its role. The reference to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a previously undisclosed bilateral or multilateral arrangement, signals Iran’s insistence that its consent is a prerequisite for any new routing or security protocols in the strait, through which a significant portion of global crude oil transits. Iranian officials have not elaborated on the memorandum’s contents, but the message underscores a position that Iran’s sovereignty as a littoral state must be central to any regulatory framework.

Viewed from Washington, the attack on the Ever Lovely was carried out by an Iranian drone operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a US official cited in regional reports. The vessel’s Taiwanese operator, Evergreen Marine, confirmed that the starboard side of the bridge was struck but that the main engine and navigation equipment remained functional, and all 21 crew members were safe. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore described the incident as “unprovoked and unjustifiable” and a violation of international law. The International Maritime Organization subsequently suspended a plan to evacuate stranded ships from the area, reflecting heightened risk assessments.

The incident and Iran’s warning unfold against the backdrop of a recent ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. Under that accord, Washington ended a naval blockade against Iran in exchange for Tehran’s commitment to cease disruptions to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Since the ceasefire, crude oil shipments through the strait had risen to their highest levels since the outbreak of US-Israeli military operations against Iran, according to shipping data. However, the latest attack and the Iranian statement now threaten to undermine that arrangement. US President Donald Trump has previously warned that negotiations with Tehran would be terminated immediately if Iranian commitments on safe passage and fee exemptions in the strait were not upheld.

The dossier remains highly volatile. Iran’s legal and diplomatic messaging frames any parallel route as contingent on its approval, while the US and its allies hold Tehran responsible for the recent strike. The IMO’s suspension of the evacuation plan indicates that international maritime bodies are reassessing the security environment. The next steps are likely to involve diplomatic exchanges aimed at clarifying the terms of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and whether a parallel routing mechanism can be established without triggering further escalation.