Senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi has described the Strait of Hormuz as a 'permanent asset' that will remain under Iran's control amid the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.
Azizi, chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, warned countries seeking to project power in the chokepoint that Iran would pursue its legal rights with full strength and show no leniency.
Tehran has choked the vital waterway, through which a fifth of the world's oil normally passes, since the start of the war with the US and Israel in late February.
The Islamic Republic has set up a new mechanism to manage the transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, requiring ships to obtain transit authorisation and pay tolls before sailing.
Iran has warned the US Navy to stay out of the Strait of Hormuz and that commercial vessels will need to coordinate any passage with its military.
