These were bold words from Iran.
Iran is insisting that no foreign country—including the United States or its allies—will be allowed to clear naval mines from the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, setting up another potential flashpoint in the Middle East.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran alone will oversee any mine-clearing operations, declaring that no outside nation will be permitted to take part.
His comments came after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and Oman had agreed to work with international partners to help secure the Strait of Hormuz and protect one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
Macron said the effort would focus on removing potential hazards from the waterway, protecting commercial shipping, and ensuring vessels can pass through safely without interruption.
Iran immediately rejected the proposal.
Gharibabadi warned France against becoming involved, saying the situation remains “sensitive and complex” and arguing that foreign intervention would only increase tensions in the region.
The disagreement highlights growing divisions over who should control security in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Any disruption there can quickly affect global energy markets, gasoline prices, and the U.S. economy.
Iran and Oman have been working to restore normal shipping after recent military confrontations disrupted traffic through the region. However, relations between the two countries have become increasingly strained following reports that Iran targeted a vessel traveling through an Omani-backed shipping corridor created to keep commercial traffic moving safely.
Although reports indicate that a U.S.-Iran memorandum assigns Tehran responsibility for reopening the strait, many military experts question whether Iran has the capability to complete such a large and technically demanding mission.
Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Iran likely knows where some mines may have been placed but lacks the advanced equipment and operational experience needed to fully clear a major shipping lane.
According to Montgomery, the safest approach would be for Iran to identify suspected mine locations while experienced allied naval forces perform the actual mine-clearing operations. He said Iran may be able to remove individual mines but would struggle to certify that an entire shipping corridor is safe enough for commercial vessels to use with confidence.
Meanwhile, defense officials say the United States and allied nations remain prepared to assist if diplomatic negotiations continue making progress. Military planners have reportedly developed contingency plans that could be activated if international cooperation is requested.
For President Donald Trump, the situation presents another major foreign policy challenge as his administration works to reduce tensions while protecting America’s economic and national security interests.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most strategically important waterways in the world. A prolonged disruption could drive up oil prices, increase fuel costs for American families, raise inflation, and place additional pressure on the global economy.
As diplomatic efforts continue, governments around the world are watching closely to see whether Iran follows through on its pledge to manage the operation alone—or whether international forces ultimately become necessary to ensure one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes remains open.
