Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said Tehran has no plans to close the Strait of Hormuz, sounding a more cautious tone after the country’s newly appointed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the strategic waterway could be used as leverage.Amir Saeed Ilawani told reporters at the United Nations on Thursday that Iran would not block the vital shipping route but stressed that the country had the right to ensure its security, Reuters reported.
“We will not close the Strait of Hormuz,” Irawani said. “But it is our inherent right to maintain peace and security in this waterway.”His comments came after Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said earlier on Thursday that “the means of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.”Iran remains committed to abiding by international maritime law, Iravani said in a prepared statement read to reporters before taking questions.“Iran fully respects and remains committed to the principle of freedom of navigation under the law of the sea,” he said.However, he blamed rising tensions in the region on U.S. actions.However, the current regional situation, including the Strait of Hormuz, is not the result of Iran’s legitimate exercise of its right to self-defense, but the direct result of the United States’ destabilizing actions such as aggression against Iran and undermining regional security.The comments come amid rising tensions in the region following ongoing hostilities between Iran, Israel and the United States.When asked about comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant, who told Sky News that the US Navy could join the international coalition in escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz if militarily feasible, Ilawani said he had no response, Reuters reported.The Strait of Hormuz is an important waterway cone
