Tehran, Jul 01 (V7N) — Iran will maintain its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz under all circumstances, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, describing the strategic waterway as the country's "greatest tool of power."
In an interview with Iranian state media regarding the recently signed memorandum of understanding with the United States, Ghalibaf said the agreement only provides a temporary 60-day exemption on maritime service fees in the Strait of Hormuz and does not affect Iran's sovereign rights over the waterway.
"These are our territorial waters. We will not allow the United States to create any controversy or confusion by claiming that Iran is closing the Strait of Hormuz," Ghalibaf was quoted as saying by Iranian state broadcaster Press TV.
He stressed that Tehran would not retreat from its position "even by a hair's breadth" under any circumstances.
Calling the Strait of Hormuz "a divine gift from God in times of war," Ghalibaf said the strategic passage remains one of Iran's greatest national strengths.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy transit routes, carrying a significant share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Control and security of the narrow waterway have long been at the center of geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the United States and other Western nations.
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