Gharibabadi: Mine clearance in Strait of Hormuz will be carried out solely by Iran
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Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs
Pars Today – Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs has stressed that any mine-clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted exclusively by Iran.
According to Pars Today, citing IRIB News Agency, Kazem Gharibabadi wrote in a post on his social media account:
"Macron (the French president) has said that France will cooperate with its partners on mine-clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz."
Gharibabadi responded:
"Under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, mine clearance will be carried out exclusively by Iran—not by any other country. As a matter of principle, we will not permit any other country to undertake such operations."
He added:
"The situation is sensitive and complex. We strongly urge France not to make it even more complicated through its provocations."
