In his press conference on Monday, Esmail Baqaei told reporters: “The reason for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz was the military aggression of the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, the abuse of the Strait, and the use of bases located on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf to attack Iran.”
He referred to determining the shipping route between Iran and Oman as a bilateral matter between the two countries: "While it will certainly have implications for international shipping, it is inherently a bilateral negotiation between two coastal states with a very specific goal: reaching an agreement on a safe transit route for ships through the Strait of Hormuz."
Baqaei stated: “The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon the removal of conditions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran and the entire region due to the military aggression of the United States and the Zionist regime. Keep in mind that we are still in a state of war; as long as the maritime blockade and other violations by the U.S. persist, the necessary conditions to say that the Strait of Hormuz has become a safe waterway will not exist.”
It is the responsibility of the American side to stop and compensate for its illegal and destructive actions, which began and continued just twenty-one or twenty-two days after the signing of the memorandum of understanding to end the war, so that we may discuss the next steps, he emphasized.
Washington Lacks Moral, Legal Standing to Demand Reopening of SoH
Regarding a New York Times claim about Iran providing a list of demands and its impact on the reopening of the Strait, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said: “The Strait of Hormuz and the issues surrounding it were caused by the military aggression of the U.S. and the Zionist regime [on Iran], and these issues still persist. Those who say Iran has set conditions should refer to their own government.”
Baqaei stated: “The U.S. government continues to proudly declare that it is blockading Iranian ports and harassing Iranian ships. Under these circumstances, the U.S. has no moral or legal standing to complain about the Strait of Hormuz not being open.”
He added: “This is a problem created by the U.S., and as long as these violations continue, does international shipping itself even have the courage to pass through this route?”
The U.S. Has Been Part of Regional Insecurity / Regional Security is Indivisible
In response to the 'Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,' the spokesman remarked: “This development indicates a shift in the perception of regional countries. They have realized that security is not a commodity to be bought, and Iran’s policy has always been to invite regional countries to cooperate and strengthen indigenous security without relying on foreign actors.”
Baqaei noted that Israel’s regional aggression confirms that nations can no longer rely on U.S. security claims, as Washington has itself become a source of instability.
He emphasized: “We believe that regional security is indivisible, and any plan that is based on the historical and geopolitical realities of the region, is comprehensive and complete, and correctly identifies the enemy and the threat, has the potential to contribute to strengthening security and preventing instability in the region.”
Withdrawal of Countries from ICC Sign of Despair over Selective Justice
Addressing the official requests by Chad and Venezuela to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the spokesman said: “Previously, four or five other countries have taken similar actions. This is a sign of the international community’s despair over a tribunal that was established with the goal of ending impunity and was intended to prevent the most severe international crimes.”
Baqaei asserted: “The pressures exerted on the ICC due to its pursuit of the Zionist regime’s genocide and war crimes in occupied Palestine, and the threats made by the U.S. government against the Court’s prosecutor and judges, led many countries to the conclusion that we are facing selective justice.”
He said this would seriously undermine decades of efforts to combat the gravest international crimes, blaming the United States and countries that not only ignored the crimes in occupied Palestine but also obstructed justice at the ICC and ICJ.
seyed mohammad kazemi - seyed mohammad kazemi
