The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Nairobi has issued a pointed diplomatic message to the Kenyan government, urging it to disregard reports of a shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz while cautioning against any cooperation with parties involved in the ongoing conflict in the Gulf.
In a press release dated March 27, 2026, the embassy framed its statement not just as a clarification on maritime navigation, but as a direct rebuttal to narratives it says are already influencing public opinion and economic anxieties in countries like Kenya.
“The publication of false news and manipulated narratives concerning the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its impacts on life expenses in countries like Kenya are products of the US and the Israeli regime’s propaganda machinery and are aimed at distorting public opinion,” the embassy said.
At the core of the message is a reassurance to Nairobi that global shipping through the critical النفط corridor remains open, despite heightened tensions.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has not been suspended or closed and continues, subject to the measures adopted and the considerations arising from the current wartime situation,” the statement said.
But beyond reassurance, Tehran is also drawing clear diplomatic lines—effectively telling Kenya and other non-belligerent states to stay out of the conflict.
The embassy outlined that safe passage through the strait is guaranteed only for countries and vessels that do not support military actions against Iran.
“Non-hostile vessels… may benefit from safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz—provided that they neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran and fully comply with the declared safety and security regulations,” it said.
In effect, Iran is signaling that any country seen to align with the United States or Israel—whether politically, logistically, or militarily—could risk complications in accessing one of the world’s most important النفط shipping routes.
The statement also seeks to shift blame for any economic fallout that may be felt in import-dependent economies like Kenya.
“It is self-evident that responsibility for any disruption, insecurity, and heightened danger in this strategic waterway… lies directly with the United States and the Israeli regime,” the embassy said.
For Kenya, which relies heavily on imported fuel and goods passing through global shipping lanes linked to the Gulf, the message is twofold: there is no immediate supply crisis from a closure of Hormuz, but geopolitical alignment in the conflict could carry economic consequences.
The release underscores Iran’s attempt to shape how countries like Kenya interpret the unfolding situation—positioning itself as a guarantor of maritime flow while warning against what it describes as externally driven misinformation and pressure.
In diplomatic terms, the gist is clear: Kenya is being urged to remain neutral, ignore alarmist narratives, and avoid any role—direct or indirect—in the conflict Tehran says is destabilising the region.
The statement also seeks to shift blame for any economic fallout that may be felt in import-dependent economies like Kenya.
“It is self-evident that responsibility for any disruption, insecurity, and heightened danger in this strategic waterway… lies directly with the United States and the Israeli regime,” the embassy said.
For Kenya, which relies heavily on imported fuel and goods passing through global shipping lanes linked to the Gulf, the message is twofold: there is no immediate supply crisis from a closure of Hormuz, but geopolitical alignment in the conflict could carry economic consequences.
The release underscores Iran’s attempt to shape how countries like Kenya interpret the unfolding situation—positioning itself as a guarantor of maritime flow while warning against what it describes as externally driven misinformation and pressure.
In diplomatic terms, the gist is clear: Kenya is being urged to remain neutral, ignore alarmist narratives, and avoid any role—direct or indirect—in the conflict Tehran says is destabilising the region.
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