IRGC unveils new Hormuz map as Iran asserts right to target US warships: Analysis

[0:00] Let's discuss these latest developments now with Fuad Izadi, who is an associate professor [0:04] at the University of Tehran, joining us from the Iranian capital. [0:07] Professor Izadi, thank you so much for your time. [0:09] So Iranian officials are now speaking of a new regime in the Strait of Hormuz. [0:14] Is Iran claiming de facto control over an international waterway? [0:20] You know, the Strait of Hormuz is not international waters. [0:26] International ships pass through territorial waters of Iran and Oman. [0:32] You know, you're in Doha, you're in Al Jazeera building, there are a lot of international [0:37] people that pass through the Al Jazeera building. [0:41] But that building is in Qatari territory. [0:44] But the territorial waters of Iran is 12 nautical miles, Professor, trying to impose an exclusion [0:50] zone on both Iranian and Omani territorial waters. [0:54] Iran can impose its will on the Omani side, can it? [0:58] Are you familiar with continuous waters? [1:03] We have territorial waters in, you know, the conventional law of seas. [1:07] We have continuous waters and territorial waters. [1:11] Continuous waters are 12 miles, 12 additional miles. [1:15] And based on conventional law of seas, the laws of the coastal country should be respected [1:21] in the continuous waters, 12 plus 12 is 24, the Strait of Hormuz is 21. [1:28] So Iran has three extra miles that Iran doesn't know what to do with, because there are no [1:32] waters left. [1:34] And the same thing is true with regard to Oman. [1:36] Iran's foreign minister was in Oman last week, they're coordinating. [1:42] You know, under the conventional law of seas, you have passage. [1:46] But the terminology, Article 17 is innocent passage. [1:50] So if you have a country that attacks the coastal states, kills 3,500 civilians. [1:55] Right. [1:56] But, Professor, if every regional country adopted this approach that you're describing now, [2:02] wouldn't that effectively dismantle freedom of navigation worldwide? [2:05] Yes. [2:08] We had one of your producers coming online. [2:11] That's why I stopped. [2:12] The freedom of navigation is good. [2:16] We are at war with the United States and Israel, Iranians are. [2:21] And based on conventional law of seas, you have Article 17, it says innocent passage. [2:28] And in Article 19, it describes what innocent is. [2:32] It means the security of the coastal state should not be threatened. [2:36] So if you have an American Navy ship that has probably killed a good number of Iranians [2:42] trying to pass through, Iran has the right and the responsibility under Article 51 of the [2:48] UN Charter, it's called self-defense, to shoot at that enemy ship. [2:54] This is what Iran did today. [2:55] But is Iran prepared for the consequences of a direct military confrontation, if it were [3:00] to do that, with the United States after what it's sustained in the last two months now? [3:06] You know, Iran, Iranian delegation, you covered this well, went to Islam about three weeks [3:13] ago, trying to avoid everything that you see. [3:17] And what did the U.S. do? [3:19] 24 hours after the Iranians returned to Tehran, we had this blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, [3:26] which is an act of war under international law and U.S. law. [3:31] 24 hours before the next round, the U.S. Navy shot at an Iranian ship hitting its engine. [3:41] If you are listening to Trump carefully, every other day he is boasting about shooting at [3:46] Iranian ships, taking over Iranian oil. [3:50] And he calls this an act of piracy, and he's proud of it. [3:55] So we are dealing with the Epstein class. [3:57] But let me just put this to you, Professor, I mean, Iran is proposing this 14-point plan [4:06] to end the war while, you know, simultaneously issuing military threats. [4:11] The RIGC has said it's ready to go back to war. [4:14] And this new map now of the areas it says it controls of the Strait of Hormuz. [4:19] Why should, you know, the international community trust Iran's diplomatic intentions while it [4:25] is actively restricting a vital shipping lane? [4:29] You know, Iran is under attack, has been under attack. [4:37] And Iran will use the leverage that Iran has. [4:40] One leverage Iran has is its geography. [4:43] We didn't have the U.N. coming and helping Iran because the U.N. has U.S. as a permanent [4:51] member of the Security Council, and U.S. will veto any resolution in favor of Iran. [4:58] So when you don't have international bodies that are designed to prevent this type of wars, [5:05] useless because of the way U.N. is set up, then the country has to defend itself. [5:11] And this is what Iran is doing. [5:13] So what is the end game then? [5:15] What is Iran's end game here? [5:16] Leverage for negotiations or a lasting shift over control of the Strait of Hormuz? [5:22] You know, it depends on Trump because he has started this war. [5:26] He can realize that this is a failed policy. [5:30] Then he can declare victory. [5:31] He has this capacity to declare victory when he's failing. [5:36] And then he can go over, take over Greenland or Canada or do other things. [5:40] Or he can continue this war in order to get Iran's oil, change Iran's government. [5:46] It depends on him because Iran was trying to avoid war. [5:49] You probably heard the Omani foreign minister's interview with CBS saying that an agreement [5:54] was possible within 24 hours before the war. [5:57] U.S. was not interested in that. [5:59] We need to wait and see whether the U.S. is interested this time. [6:02] Okay, we've heard Iranian officials, Professor Izari, say that U.S. demands are unreasonable. [6:09] Can you specify what Iran considers unacceptable and where it's willing to compromise? [6:20] Okay, I didn't get the last part of your question. [6:23] Where is Iran willing to compromise on? [6:29] Yeah. [6:30] Iran can do something similar to what Iran did in 2015, limit its nuclear program extensively, [6:37] have extensive inspection of Iranian nuclear sites. [6:42] That is what Iran can do. [6:44] Iran cannot limit its missile program because next time Israelis attack Iran, Iran needs [6:51] these ballistic missiles to hit Tel Aviv and Hefa. [6:54] And Iran cannot change its borders, Iran cannot give up its oil. [7:00] There are some limitations on what a country can do. [7:03] What Iran can do is if Trump is worried about Iran's nuclear program, Iran can work and resolve [7:10] that issue the same way Iran did in 2015. [7:13] Professor Izadi, thank you so much for talking to us and sharing the view there from Tehran. [7:18] Fuadi Izadi is a professor at the University of Tehran. [7:20] Thank you. [7:21] Thank you. [7:30] Thank you.