The new policy was adopted in response to the provocative behavior of Iran in the case of the cargo ship flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, but owned by the United States, seized last Tuesday.
Tehran has motivated the seizure due to the insolvency of the shipping company that owns the cargo (3,6 million dollars) against an Iranian company in Dubai.
The Strait of Hormuz is located partly in Iranian territorial waters. Thanks to an internationally recognized protocol called "harmless passage", maritime traffic is allowed without interference even if ships cross over into Iranian territorial waters, provided they do not clearly violate the law.
The decision to escort American ships in transit was taken by the Pentagon on the recommendation of the Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East.
The Fifth Fleet, naval arm of the Central Command, in the Gulf currently has a destroyer, the USS Farragut and three smaller ships in coastal patrolling service.
Navy ships will be in constant radio contact with commercial ships and will remain in visual contact during their transit through the strait.
The new security protocol will be reviewed daily, in consideration of Iranian behavior.
Franco Iacch
(photo: US DoD)
