Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday, Esmaeil Baqaei refuted US President Donald Trump’s claims about the Strait of Hormuz, saying American assertions do not match realities on the ground.
“The Americans can keep saying that Iran has lost its leverage, but we will continue doing our work,” he said, adding that markets follow their own rules and are not swayed by such American claims.
Baqaei stressed that the developments in the Strait of Hormuz are not intended to create leverage. Rather, he said, the situation in the strategic waterway has resulted from the actions and aggression of the US and the Israeli regime, and Iran has taken measures in accordance with international law.
“As long as the US continues the war, security will not return to this waterway,” the spokesman emphasized, adding that Iran is not pleased with the situation but that the US has created problems for both the region and the world through its aggression.
Asked about remarks by Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei concerning a response to the US, Baqaei said the exchange of messages through mediators is continuing. He explained that the points raised in New York concerned Iran’s legitimate demands.
He noted that the seven points have been discussed extensively and included the lifting of the blockade, a halt to the war on all fronts, and the release of Iran’s frozen assets. “Whatever was included in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding remains in place,” Baqaei said, adding that the US has imposed new sanctions in the meantime and that they must also be lifted.
The US continues to claim that Iran’s nuclear issue remains its main concern, while once again raising the threat of nuclear weapons, he deplored.
Baqaei acknowledged that the points put forward so far have been insufficient, stressing the need to prioritize Iran’s interests under the current circumstances.
He added that Tehran is reviewing the issues raised by the US and would convey its response to the mediators once the review is complete.