BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. The suspension of
shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is not caused by decisions by
Tehran, but by military operations carried out by the other side,
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on his X page,
Trend reports.
"The Strait of Hormuz is not closed. Ships hesitate because
insurers fear the war of choice you initiated—not Iran. No
insurer—and no Iranian—will be swayed by more threats. Try respect
- Freedom of Navigation cannot exist without Freedom of Trade.
Respect both—or expect neither," he said.
Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between
the United States (US) and Iran over the nuclear program, the US
and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28.
In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and
US 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 13
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.
