‘Not going to close’: Iran’s UN envoy contradicts Mojtaba Khamenei over Strait of Hormuz remarks

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said Tehran does not plan to close the Strait of Hormuz, appearing to strike a more measured tone after remarks by the country’s newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei suggesting the strategic waterway could be used as leverage.Speaking to reporters at the UN on Thursday, Amir Saeid Iravani said Iran would not block the vital shipping route but stressed that the country had the right to ensure its security, according to Reuters. “We are not going to close the Strait of Hormuz,” Iravani said. “But it is our inherent right to preserve the peace and security in this waterway.”His comments came after Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said earlier on Thursday that the “lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.”In a prepared statement read to reporters before taking questions, Iravani said Iran remained committed to international maritime law.“Iran fully respects and remains committed to the principle of freedom of navigation under the law of the sea,” he said.However, he blamed rising tensions in the region on US actions.“However, the current situation in the region, including in the Strait of Hormuz, is not the result of Iran’s lawful exercise of its right of self-defense. Rather, it is the direct consequence of the destabilizing actions of the United States in launching aggression against Iran and undermining regional security,” Iravani said.The comments come amid heightened tensions in the region following ongoing hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States.Asked about remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told Sky News that the US Navy, possibly alongside an international coalition, could escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz when militarily feasible, Iravani said he had no response, Reuters reported.Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway cone