US naval blockade doomed to failure: Iran President Pezeshkian

Tehran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that any US attempt to impose a naval blockade and maritime restrictions against Iran is “doomed to failure.”

Pezeshkian made the remarks in a statement to mark Persian Gulf National Day, which falls on April 30. He said the “enemies” have changed their approach and shifted their pressure to the economic and maritime arenas, using a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz and restrictions on maritime trade as a new tool against the Iranian government and people, according to the statement published on his office’s website.

He stressed that the Gulf “is not an arena for imposing unilateral foreign wills, but rather part of the international interactions’ system, and its security makes sense only in the light of collective cooperation and mutual respect for the sovereignty of the coastal countries,” reported Xinhua news agency.

Pezeshkian emphasised that “any attempt to impose a blockade and maritime restrictions on the waterway is contrary to international law and a threat to the regional nations’ interests and global peace and stability, and is doomed to failure.”

Iran has repeatedly stressed that foreign presence and interventions only serve as a cause of escalating tensions and disrupt lasting peace in the region, said the Iranian President. He noted that during the 40-day US-Israeli war against Iran, US military bases in West Asia failed to ensure the host countries’ security and allowed Iran to attack the origin of strikes against its territory as legitimate targets.

Pezeshkian said that Iran, as “the guardian of security” in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, continues to adhere to the principles of freedom of navigation and maritime safety, except for hostile countries, adding that Iran believes the implementation of these principles must be accompanied by respect for the Iranian nation and sovereignty.

He stressed that the responsibility for any insecurity in the waterway lies with the United States and Israel.

The United States imposed its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz after post-ceasefire negotiations with Iran in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on April 11 and 12 failed to lead to an agreement.

The ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel took effect on April 8 following 40 days of fighting, which started on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians.

Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US assets in the Middle East, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, barring passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.

IANS