BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 16. Iran hasn't closed
the Strait of Hormuz, and the Armed Forces are controlling the
passage of ships, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign
Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, said at a press conference held today,
Trend reports.
According to him, the restriction regarding the Strait of Hormuz
is due to the military air strikes by the U.S. and Israel on
Iran.
Baghaei said that in such a situation, no coastal country will
allow the ships of the attacking countries to move normally to
reinforce themselves.
The official said that the U.S., Israel, and their allies should
not use the Strait of Hormuz to strike Iran. Countries that aren't
part of the military air strikes against Iran can pass through the
Strait in coordination with the Iranian armed forces.
Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between
the United States and Iran over the nuclear program, the U.S. and
Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In
response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and
U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region,
starting the same day.
On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Iran’s Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking
military officials were killed. On March 8, Iran’s Assembly of
Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s third Supreme
Leader by majority vote.
From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded
further, affecting several countries across the Middle East.
According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 8
dead and more than 140 wounded.
The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the region’s
energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have
surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around
the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their
citizens to leave the region.
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