Amir Saeed Iravani made the remarks in a statement delivered during a UN General Assembly meeting on Thursday, three days after the US said that it had imposed a “naval blockade” on the Strait of Hormuz aimed at forcing Iran to reopen the strategic waterway that has been shut down to the country’s enemies following the launch of the illegal US-Israeli aggression.
“The realization of the principles of freedom of navigation and maritime safety in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman—particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, which lies within the territorial seas of its coastal States—is only possible through full respect for the sovereignty and sovereign rights of those coastal States,” he said, Press TV reported.
“As such, sustainable stability in the Strait of Hormuz and in the region can only be achieved through the cessation of aggression and the full respect for Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.”
Iravani also warned that the United States’ unlawful actions in the region escalate tensions and threaten both maritime security and international trade.
He further stressed that the imposition of a maritime blockade announced by the United States constitutes a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“This unlawful action is a flagrant breach of the prohibition on the threat or use of force enshrined in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and constitutes a clear act of aggression under international law,” he added.
“By seeking to obstruct maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports, the United States unlawfully interferes with the exercise of the sovereign rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran and infringes upon the rights of third States and lawful maritime commerce under international law.”
Meanwhile, the envoy emphasized that the Islamic Republic has consistently upheld freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman.
MNA
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