Iran says Hormuz open to all but ‘enemy-linked’ ships

DUBAI, March 22 (Reuters) - The Strait of Hormuz remains open to all shipping ​except vessels linked to "Iran's enemies", Iranian media reports ‌published on Sunday quoted Iran's representative to the U.N. maritime agency as saying.

Ali Mousavi's comments came from an interview ​published on Friday by Chinese news agency Xinhua, ​before U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to target ⁠Iranian power plants if the strait was not "fully ​open" within 48 hours.

The threat of Iranian attacks during ​the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has kept most ships from getting through the narrow strait, the conduit for around a fifth ​of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, ​threatening a global energy shock.

Mousavi, who is also Iran's ambassador to ‌the ⁠UK, was also quoted as saying that Tehran would continue to cooperate with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to improve maritime safety and protect seafarers in the ​Gulf, adding ​that ships ⁠not belonging to "Iran's enemies" could pass the strait by coordinating security and safety arrangements ​with Tehran.

"Diplomacy remains Iran's priority. However, a ​complete ⁠cessation of aggression as well as mutual trust and confidence are more important," Mousavi said, adding that Israeli ⁠and ​U.S. attacks against Iran were ​at the "root of the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz".

Reporting by ​Dubai Newsroom; Editing by William Mallard and Alexander Smith