US officials have told US media that Iran cannot reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping because it has been unable to locate and remove all the mines laid in the waterway during the war.
US officials say safe routes through mines laid out by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are also limited, due to Tehran’s careless laying of mines in the strait.
Meanwhile, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Raza Arif says that if America talks with representatives of “Israel First” during talks in Pakistan, there will be no agreement with it.
Mohammad Raza Arif said, “If we negotiate with ‘America First’ representatives in Islamabad, there is a possibility of an agreement beneficial to both sides and the world. But, if we are faced with ‘Israel First’ representatives, there will be no agreement; we will certainly continue our defense more vigorously than before, and the world will have to pay a heavy price for it.”
What is the problem in removing mines?
American media reports state that both America and Iran do not have the capability to remove sea mines. According to reports, some tunnels may also be washed away; At the same time, it is also not clear whether Iran has kept records of every tunnel laid in the waterway or not.
America has claimed that this strait was opened on Wednesday itself. The US also rejected reports that Iran was blocking most traffic and collecting tolls. Over the past few days, Trump acknowledged that Iran was indeed blocking ships from using the route. After this, the President also warned Iran by making several posts on ‘Truth Social’.
Tehran has vowed to continue blocking traffic until Israel ends attacks on its Lebanese ally Hezbollah. Iranian and Pakistani mediators say this was a part of the cease-fire agreement. The US said there was “actually a misunderstanding” over the issue, but stressed that it had never agreed to include Lebanon in the ceasefire.