Why it matters:
The message says pressure campaigns by the U.S. and its allies in the Strait of Hormoz will be enhances on the rest of the world.
The big picture:
Pezeshkian's address frames the Persian Gulf not merely as a body of water but as an inseparable component of Iranian national identity, a "strategic waterway" that has served as a hub of civilization, culture, trade, and energy since ancient times.
His remarks reflect Tehran's determination to assert its role as the primary security guarantor of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of global oil passes.
What he's saying:
Masoud Pezeshkian: "Our enemies have placed 'maritime siege' and creating restrictions on maritime trade routes on their agenda as a new tool of pressure against the government and people of Iran."
"The Persian Gulf is not an arena for imposing unilateral foreign wills; it is part of the system of international interactions. Its security only gets meaningful through cooperation and mutual respect for the sovereignty of its coastal countries."
"Any attempt to impose maritime blockade or restriction contradicts international law and threatens the interests of regional nations and global peace, and is condemned to failure."
"We have seen that American military bases were not security-generating for the host countries; rather, they endangered their tranquility and security, giving us the right to target the origins of aggression against our soil as legitimate targets."
Go deeper:
Raising of Iran’s Flag on Hormuz Island on National Persian Gulf Day
Hossein Vaez - seyed mohammad kazemi
