Iran demands sovereignty over Strait of Hormuz

Iran is demanding sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz as part of its latest response to a U.S. proposal to end the war, CNN reported, citing Iranian state media. The strait is located between Iran and Oman at a point where their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) intersect. Its narrowness provides limited room for ships to maneuver and insufficient warning time to evade threats, creating a geographically advantageous position for potential Iranian attacks on vessels. According to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), coastal nations hold sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing marine resources within their EEZ. However, the convention also guarantees the right of innocent passage for ships of all nations through territorial waters. While it stipulates that coastal states must not impede the normal passage of foreign vessels, it does permit them to take necessary measures to prevent non-innocent passage under certain circumstances.