The head of Iran's parliamentary National Security Committee, Ebrahim Azizi, announced on Tuesday that parliament has begun working on a bill concerning the Strait of Hormuz, against the backdrop of ongoing tensions with the United States over control of it.
“Last night, coinciding with the downing of American drones, the bill entitled ‘Strategic Action for the Security and Sustainable Development of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf’ was formally submitted to the Iranian parliament,” he wrote in an English-language post on the X platform, without specifying its content or when it would be reviewed.
Azizi added, “We are steadfast in defending our red lines, especially with regard to the management of the Strait of Hormuz,” noting that this waterway, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports passed before the war, represents the core of the confrontation between Iran and the United States.
Tehran wants to impose transit fees in the Strait, while US President Donald Trump has stated that he wants to collect an amount equivalent to 20% of the value of each shipment in exchange for protecting the Strait, which violates international law that is supposed to guarantee freedom of navigation.
After suspending its sessions following the outbreak of war in February, the Iranian parliament resumed its work on Monday. The Iranian parliament is headed by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, an influential figure in the country who also leads the Iranian negotiating team.
A number of MPs opposed to any negotiations with the United States expressed their dissatisfaction at not being involved in drafting the memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war, which was signed between Tehran and Washington on June 17.
The memo has drawn sharp criticism within Iran from hardline conservatives, although they remain a minority.
Last week, during the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, some attendees confronted President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, rejecting any settlement in the dispute.
In June, limited protests against the agreement were organized, involving a few dozen people, in front of the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Tehran and in Mashhad (northeast of the country).
