Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said on Thursday that Tehran will not close the Strait of Hormuz, but added that it is Iran’s right to preserve the security of the main shipping route.
Amir Saeid Iravani made his comments to reporters at the UN when asked about the speeches of the new Iranian supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who said this Thursday that the ‘blockade lever of the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used’.
‘We are not going to close the Strait of Hormuz,’ Iravani said. ‘But it is our inherent right to preserve peace and security in this waterway.’
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In a prepared statement that he read to reporters before answering questions, Iravani said that ‘Iran fully respects and remains committed to the principle of freedom of navigation under the law of the sea.’
‘However, the current situation in the region, including in the Strait of Hormuz, is not the result of Iran’s lawful exercise of its right to self-defense.
“Rather, it is the direct consequence of the destabilizing actions of the United States in launching aggression against Iran and undermining regional security.”
He said he had no response to a comment from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told Sky News in an interview on Thursday that the US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz when militarily possible.
