Strait of Hormuz open to countries not at war with Iran — top diplomat

BEIJING, March 24. /TASS/. The Strait of Hormuz is open to safe navigation for ships of all countries that are not in a state of war with Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. "The Strait of Hormuz is open to all. Ships can pass through it safely. But the states that are in a state of war are not on this list," China’s Central Television quoted him as saying during a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The top Iranian diplomat thanked Beijing for the emergency humanitarian assistance and stressed that Tehran wants a comprehensive rather than temporary ceasefire. Wang Yi, in turn, said that Beijing condemns any infringement on the sovereignty of other countries and calls on the parties to seize any chance to begin a peace process. "It is better to engage in dialogue than continue fighting," he said, adding that China will continue playing an active role to calm the situation in the Middle East.