TEHRAN: Senior Iranian leader and former commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohsen Rezaei has called for the establishment of an “insurance mechanism” for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, saying vessels involved in incidents should be covered to reduce risks while arguing that the associated costs should be borne by oil transporters rather than the Iranian people.
Speaking in an interview with US-based NewsNation on Thursday, Rezaei, who also serves as a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, outlined Tehran’s position on the future of the strategic waterway amid ongoing discussions over regional security.
Responding to a question on how the Iranian leadership views the future of the Strait of Hormuz as negotiations progress with the US, Rezaei said there were ongoing discussions over fees and service costs related to the passage.
“Regarding fees, there is a cost to mention in this matter. There is a tolls discussion and a fees discussion. There is a discussion about service costs in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Rezaei said Iran wants to ensure security and environmental protection in the strategic maritime corridor while proposing an insurance framework for commercial vessels.
“Yes, we want to maintain the security of the Strait of Hormuz. We want to protect the environment of the Strait of Hormuz. We must establish an insurance mechanism so that ships involved in incidents or encountering problems are covered to reduce their risk,” he added.
He further stated that the financial burden of such measures should not fall on Iran.
“When we provide all of this, these costs cannot come out of the pockets of the Iranian people. These costs must be collected from those who are transporting oil through the Strait of Hormuz,” Rezaei said. (ANI)
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