Iran dismisses US claims of normalcy in Strait of Hormuz, says they don’t match reality

Baqaei made the remarks at his weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, responding to an IRNA correspondent’s question about Trump’s claims of normal energy flows through the strait despite Iran’s strict control of navigation under its declared arrangements.

“The Americans’ claims do not match what we see on the ground. They can continue to claim that the Strait of Hormuz no longer matters and that Iran has lost its leverage, but we will continue to do our job,” the spokesperson said.

He added that markets were not giving credence to such claims either, while international developments and other countries’ efforts to secure their fuel supplies clearly reflected the reality on the ground.

Baqaei stressed that Iran had not put controls on the strait to gain leverage, saying the current situation in the waterway was a direct consequence of the war of aggression launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28.

“What we have been witnessing in this waterway since February 28 is the direct result of actions by the US and the Zionist regime in attacking Iran. This waterway, along which Iran has the longest coastline, has been misused to launch attacks against our country. Under these circumstances, we have adopted a set of measures in accordance with international law,” Baqaei said.

He noted that security would not be restored to the Strait of Hormuz as long as the United States continued to undermine the waterway’s security through its naval blockade and “economic war” against Iran, describing these measures as acts of aggression against a country.

Baqaei said Iran was not satisfied with the current situation in the strait, stressing that security in the waterway was more essential to Iran itself than to any other party.

“However, the United States’ aggressive actions have caused trouble for itself, the region, and the world,” he said, emphasizing the need to keep the facts before the international community so that it could identify those responsible for the current situation.

• Iran still reviewing US response to seven-point proposal

The spokesperson said Iran is still reviewing Washington’s response to its seven-point proposal, with messages between the two sides continuing through mediators.

He said the proposal, discussed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, covers Iran’s legitimate demands, including lifting the naval blockade, ending the war on all fronts, and releasing Iranian assets. These issues were included in a memorandum of understanding previously agreed upon, he added.

Baqaei said Iran would convey its position to mediators once the review is complete, stressing that new US sanctions must also be lifted and Washington must end its interventionist and aggressive actions.

The spokesperson also said that Pakistan and Qatar remain the main mediators between Tehran and Washington, while Iran welcomes good offices by friendly countries such as Russia.

• Rubio’s account of history part of cognitive warfare against Iran

Baqaei described US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent speech in Athens, in which he invoked ancient Greek history and Western civilization to interpret the Greco-Persian wars, as part of Washington’s cognitive warfare against Iran and the world.

Baqaei said Rubio’s distorted interpretation of history to justify US warmongering was dangerous and an affront to Greek culture and civilization. He added that the speech inadvertently acknowledged Iran’s thousands of years of continuity as an idea and civilization, not merely a territory.

Iran’s longevity, he said, stemmed from its openness to interaction with other cultures, as reflected in Pasargadae, where traces of civilizations once considered Iran’s rivals can be found.

• US turning to Russia for oil supplies is meaningful 

Responding to a question about Iran’s position on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer to supply oil and petroleum products needed by global markets, particularly the US market, Baqaei said every country could make decisions based on its interests and priorities.

He said the Islamic Republic of Iran also makes decisions on various issues based on its national interests. “From this perspective, oil and petroleum product supplies are a matter between Russia and the United States.

However, he added, beyond bilateral relations between Moscow and Washington, the issue itself was significant. “If there were no problems and the issue had been resolved, why would the US side need to turn to Russia for help in addressing some of its problems?”

• Iran engaging with neighbors to prevent terrorist exploitation

On reports that the United Arab Emirates was providing intelligence, financial, and logistical support to terrorist groups in eastern Iran on behalf of the Israeli regime, the spokesperson said that there was no doubt that destabilizing Iran’s borders was part of a malicious plan by Israel and the United States.

“This is no secret. They have repeatedly acknowledged these actions themselves and even expressed pride in them,” he said.

Baqaei added that Iran is engaging with its neighbors, both land and maritime neighbors, to prevent terrorist groups from exploiting the conditions that the United States and the Israeli regime have imposed on the region.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also addressed other issues raised by reporters during his press conference, highlighting the Islamic Republic’s positions on those issues as follows:

• Yemen-Saudi Arabia conflict: Iran is deeply concerned about developments on the Arabian Peninsula and reiterates its readiness to use its good offices to facilitate negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Tehran opposes the continuation of war between the two Muslim countries and believes that continued tensions would create opportunities for Israel to exploit the situation.
• Iran-Afghanistan relations: Iran has no plans to cede land to Afghanistan. It is examining a proposal based on a common international practice under which landlocked countries are offered facilities on a lease basis to access seaports and international waters. No official proposal has been offered, and the issue was only discussed on the sidelines of an official visit by an Iranian minister to Kabul.
• Iraq-Saudi Arabia ties: Iran welcomes the Iraqi prime minister’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia. Tehran supports stronger cooperation among regional countries, believing that greater interaction can promote regional security without “destructive interference” by external actors.
• US sanctions: US sanctions target the Iranian people, despite Washington’s claims to the contrary, restricting their access to medicines and education and even preventing them from taking language proficiency tests such as TOEFL and IELTS.
• CIS summit: President Masoud Pezeshkian’s participation in last week’s summit of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) heads of state in Turkmenistan marked the first time an Iranian president had attended such a gathering as a special guest. His participation demonstrated Iran’s and CIS member states’ determination to strengthen cooperation.

Other issues raised at the press conference included Iran’s nuclear program, the failure of the country’s adversaries to achieve their objectives despite war and pressure, the US president’s call for his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, to step aside as a way to end the war with Russia, and events marking Iran’s cultural week in Russia.