Photo: Iran MFA

BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. As long as this situation and problem persist, it is impossible to talk about the security of the Strait of Hormuz. The problem in the Strait of Hormuz arose as a result of U.S. actions.

This was announced in a statement published by the Iranian MFA, citing spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei's remarks at a press conference in Tehran on September 7.

“The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has become problematic as a result of military attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran and the misuse of the territory of countries located in the southern part of the Persian Gulf,” he noted.

Baghaei stated that this situation is still ongoing. Currently, the problem consists of a naval blockade, an economic war, and attacks on Iranian merchant ships.

“Iran’s position is clear. Ever since Iran entered the diplomatic process and reached an agreement on a memorandum of understanding, it has outlined its position in the memorandum signed in Islamabad. However, the U.S. side refused to fulfill all of its obligations 22–23 days after signing that memorandum. In this regard, the ball has long been in the U.S.’s court. This is because it was the U.S. that launched the military offensive and failed to honor the memorandum it had signed,” he said.

Meanwhile, on July 8, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a breach of the ceasefire and ordered new strikes against Iran. In response, Iran launched missile and drone strikes against U.S. military targets in the Persian Gulf region. Although Washington has not ruled out the possibility of Iran returning to the negotiating table, disagreements over security in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program, and other issues leave the future of the peace process uncertain. At present, commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has once again come to a virtual standstill.