Iran Offers Oil Tankers Safe Passage Through Strait of Hormuz but Only Under Two Conditions

Iran has indicated that oil tankers may still pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but only if they are not linked to the United States or Israel and, according to multiple reports, if the oil involved is traded in Chinese yuan rather than US dollars. The move raises the stakes for global energy markets, turning a key flashpoint into a test of financial and political loyalties, just as the current president of the USA, Donald Trump, urges countries that rely on the route to help keep it open with American backing.​

The proposal signals more than a wartime warning. It shows Tehran trying to turn control of one of the world's most important oil chokepoints into both a diplomatic tool and a financial lever at a moment when roughly one-fifth of global oil passes through the narrow waterway.​​​

Why Iran's Strait Of Hormuz Conditions Matter To Global Shipping

Iranian officials have publicly insisted the Strait of Hormuz remains open, while making clear that access is not the same for every ship. Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, said the strait had not been militarily blocked but remained under Iranian control, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said vessels linked to the US, Israel and their allies were the ones excluded.​

That position closely matches the message set out in the source material, which said any ship could pass if it met two conditions: it was not affiliated with the US or Israel, and it traded in Chinese yuan instead of the dollar. Separate reports have since said Tehran is considering limited tanker passage under yuan-denominated trade, suggesting the idea is being weighed as part of a broader strategy rather than as a passing threat.​

Iran's Countermove To Trump's Escort Coalition

Trump said on 14 March that countries dependent on shipments through the strait should take responsibility for keeping it open, with support from Washington. That appeal came as the US sought to contain rising oil prices during the latest escalation involving joint US–Israeli attacks on Iran and Iranian retaliation against American assets in the region.​

Iran's answer appears designed to undercut that effort by telling much of the world there is another option. In effect, Tehran is signalling that states which avoid siding with Washington or Tel Aviv may be able to keep oil moving without entering a military coalition, a message that could resonate with import-dependent countries trying to stay out of the confrontation.​

How A Yuan-For-Safety Deal Could Outlast The Crisis

The yuan condition matters because global oil trade is still overwhelmingly conducted in US dollars. If Iran formally ties safe passage to Chinese-currency settlement, it would inject a financial challenge into an already dangerous shipping dispute and hand Beijing a potential opening to expand the yuan's role in energy markets.

Traders and governments assess whether Tehran is prepared to convert battlefield pressure into a new rule for commerce. For now, Iran's message is blunt: 'The Strait of Hormuz is open. It is only closed to the tankers and ships belonging to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass.'​