MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Transferring control over the Strait of Hormuz to third countries or creating supranational governance structures without the consent of all Persian Gulf states would not contribute to easing tensions in the region, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.
"Any initiatives concerning navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be implemented based on the consensus of the coastal states, taking into account their interests. Transferring control of this strategic waterway to third countries or creating supranational governance structures without the consent of all Persian Gulf states would hardly contribute to easing tensions in the region," she said, responding to a question on the matter.
The diplomat stressed that the move would violate international maritime law.
"Let me remind you - as everyone probably already knows - that the Strait of Hormuz is 20 nautical miles wide at its narrowest point. This means it cannot be passed through without entering the territorial seas of Iran or Oman, which are subject to the sovereignty of those states. We don’t know any legal mechanisms that would allow the transfer of waters within its territorial sea to the control of other states without Iran's express consent," she added.
