The Iranian Foreign Ministry drew a line over control of the strategic waterway in an official statement.

According to the ministry, "according to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the mine clearance work in the Strait of Hormuz will be carried out by Iran alone, and Iran will not cooperate with any other country on this matter."

The diplomatic friction follows a declaration made earlier on Monday by French President Emmanuel Macron. Writing on the social media platform X, Macron stated that "France and Oman have agreed to work jointly with partners to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz to secure maritime routes."

Macron made the remarks after hosting Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, who is currently on his first official visit to France.

Tehran reacted to the proposed European and Omani intervention.

The Iranian statement noted that the current regional situation is sensitive and complex, adding that Iran strongly advised France not to further complicate the situation with "provocative actions".

The opposing announcements come amid heavily heightened maritime security concerns through the vital trade corridor.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had previously shown signs of stabilization, gradually resuming after the United States and Iran reached a separate MoU.

This progress prompted the US-led Joint Maritime Information Center on June 18 to lower the maritime threat level in nearby waters to moderate.

However, a sudden renewal of violence has devastated that brief window of stability. A commercial container ship and an oil tanker were attacked in nearby waters on Thursday and Saturday last week, respectively.

The security situation degenerated further when the US Central Command announced last Friday that US forces had struck Iranian targets in response to an attack on a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier.

With Iran now claiming exclusive authority over mine clearance under the Islamabad MoU, the standoff sets up a direct confrontation with Western powers attempting to secure international shipping lanes.