Aleksandr Asafov: Why Europe and Arab States Reject Iran’s Hormuz Strait Offer
Political analyst Aleksandr Asafov argues European and Arab states cannot accept Iran’s Hormuz Strait passage offer, fearing US pressure and seeing it as megaphone diplomacy.
Political analyst Aleksandr Asafov believes that European and Arab states are in no position to accept Tehran’s offer on passage through the Hormuz Strait.
Speaking to Lenta.ru, he described the United States as an «armed, spiteful hegemon» and argued that very few countries are ready to make such an open move against Washington. Those few, he noted, have already found other ways to resolve their hydrocarbon issues.
Asafov said he is convinced that no government will risk taking this step, even though Iran’s terms may look quite attractive at first glance. In his view, any attempt to agree to such a deal would immediately expose participants to serious pressure and problems from the administration of US President Donald Trump. For that reason, he characterized the Iranian initiative as an example of megaphone diplomacy rather than a realistic proposal.
The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of the Middle East conflict, which has effectively blocked cargo vessels from passing through the Hormuz Strait. Under normal conditions, about 20 percent of global liquefied natural gas is transported along this route.
Earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that any European or Arab country would be granted the right to unhindered passage of its ships through the Hormuz Strait if it expels US and Israeli ambassadors from its territory.