Russia says any future system to regulate shipping traffic in Strait of Hormuz must involve Iran

Any initiative pertaining to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz must involve the consent of the nations that border it, including Iran, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday, according to Russia's Interfax news agency.

Zakharova was asked at a daily briefing whether some Middle Eastern countries could form a consortium to regulate passage through the strait. She said a third-party regulator would "hardly contribute to easing tensions in the region."

"It's hardly worth seriously discussing the feasibility of such initiatives without taking Iran's position and its direct involvement into account," Zakharova said. "The extreme vulnerability of the merchant fleet precludes any hope that this situation will change radically in the foreseeable future. This is impossible without — and I emphasize again, this is also very important — a long-term normalization of the situation around Iran, which, acting constructively, agrees to allow passage of vessels from countries not involved in the conflict."