Iran has reaffirmed that it will continue resisting the United States and keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until Washington meets Tehran’s demands.
Iran’s new security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, said the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen until the US ends the war and blockade against Iran, unfreezes Iranian assets and agrees to a region-wide ceasefire covering Lebanon and Gaza.
Rezaei made the remarks after meeting China’s ambassador to Tehran, Cong Peiwu. Iranian state media said the meeting focused on strengthening ties with China and separating any possible agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz from negotiations with Washington.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts by countries including Pakistan and Qatar, military activity continues around the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has also adopted increasingly strong rhetoric. IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi warned that any further attack on Iran could expose energy networks, power plants and other infrastructure around the world to threats.
An IRGC adviser, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, claimed Iran has continued producing more ballistic missiles and drones than it has used during the conflict. He said Iran could maintain its missile capabilities even if the war continued for several years.
Meanwhile, Iran has appointed new senior military commanders as part of efforts to strengthen coordination among its armed forces and improve missile, drone, naval, ground and cyber capabilities.
President Masoud Pezeshkian also warned that Iran’s enemies may be seeking to weaken the Islamic Republic from within by exploiting economic difficulties and public dissatisfaction.
With the conflict continuing and diplomatic efforts yet to produce a breakthrough, millions of Iranians remain affected by the economic and security consequences of the war.
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