Middle East Crisis Strait of Hormuz

Iranian Leader: New Chapter for Strait of Hormuz Near

A new chapter for the Strait of Hormuz is on the way and the future of the strait is bright, without a US presence. This is what Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a rare written statement published on X, Reuters reports.

He also said that Iran will secure the strait and eliminate what he called "the enemy's abuse of the waterway". According to Khamenei, the future administration of the strait will be "profitable for all countries" in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important oil transport routes. After attacks on Iran, the country has blocked shipping through the strait.

Mojtaba Khamenei was elected earlier this year to succeed his father Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the US-Israeli attacks. He has not been seen in public since his election and, according to unconfirmed reports, he has been receiving treatment for serious injuries.

US asks for help to open the strait – with Hormuz Alliance

The US is trying to get other countries to join a new coalition to get traffic going in the Strait of Hormuz, internal documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal show. The US-led alliance is called the “Maritime Freedom Construct” internally and involves cooperation on intelligence, diplomacy and sanctions work, according to an internal document.

The proposal was reportedly sent to US embassies on Tuesday, but foreign governments are being urged to join the alliance.

The background is that traffic has come to a standstill despite Donald Trump previously saying that the strait is open. At the same time, both Iran and the US are making shipping in the strait more difficult. Iran attacks or stops ships that do not follow their rules, while the US blocks ships connected to Iranian ports.

The White House tells the WSJ that the coalition is one of the measures it is currently reviewing.