Commenting on Washington and Tehran’s positions over the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations between the two sides, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Yedioth Ahronoth that Israel would strike Iran even if Tehran reached an agreement with the United States, should Iran, in his words, make a “mistake” by attempting to resume its nuclear or ballistic missile programs.
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Cohen added that work is underway, in coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the United States, to establish a route that would bypass both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Israeli minister said the objective is to provide an alternative route for energy shipments away from the two strategic waterways amid security tensions in the area.
Earlier, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had reached an understanding with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz, but noted that its implementation depended on the United States fulfilling its commitments.
He also said Qatar and Pakistan were seeking to explore the possibility of returning to the implementation of the terms of a memorandum of understanding, noting that Tehran had outlined the steps Washington would need to take to return to the agreement.
Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei had previously said that part of the shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz lies in Omani waters and the other part in Iranian waters. He said vessels would pass through a designated channel in the middle of the strait if the United States met Iran’s conditions.
