Iran says it had to close Hormuz – So why is it telling India ‘we’re not happy’?
Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes, and the disruption has affected energy markets and trade flows across multiple countries, including India.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsUS-Iran Conflict: Iran has defended its decision to shut the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing regional conflict, arguing that the move came after attacks by the United States and Israel in February this year. At the same time, Tehran admitted that countries like India have been affected by the disruption and said it was “not happy” about the situation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in an interview that Iran was “forced” to take action after what he described as military aggression carried out by Washington and Tel Aviv using bases in the Persian Gulf region.
He called the United States and Israel “aggressors” and argued that Iran’s response was in line with international law.
“Again, you have to see what happened on 28 February. Before that, the Strait of Hormuz was open and free to every country. Iran was forced to take certain measures under international law, and I have to stress this: what Iran did is allowed under international law because we had to face aggressors, the United States and Israel, who were abusing the soil of other Persian Gulf states to attack Iran. That was absolutely unlawful. It was an act of aggression,” he said.
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The Iranian official insisted that Tehran was not responsible for the disruption to international energy supply routes and trade movement.
“We had to fight back. We had to take measures in order to prevent these aggressors from abusing this water lane for conducting military aggression against Iran. It was not Iran's fault,” Baghaei said.
‘US continued blockade despite flexibility’
He also claimed that Iran later showed flexibility on the Strait of Hormuz issue. Referring to a public statement by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, he said Tehran had announced that the route would be reopened.
“After we showed certain flexibility, you remember after Minister Araghchi issued that tweet saying the Strait of Hormuz would be open, the president of the United States immediately said, ‘Thank you Iran for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but we are going to continue our blockade’,” he said.
Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes, and the disruption has affected energy markets and trade flows across multiple countries, including India.
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Baghaei said Iran understands that India has been impacted by the situation, though he blamed Washington and Tel Aviv for triggering the crisis.
“We are not happy about what is happening in India and other countries, but this was caused by the United States and Israel. Iran depends on this strait more than many other countries because we are a coastal state. We want to see security and safety in this water lane. But the problem is that the United States and Israel initiated this war of aggression and inflicted these consequences on the whole economy. They have to be held accountable by the international community for what they started and are still continuing,” he said.
‘India and Iran share strong ties’
During the interview, Baghaei talked about the India-Iran relations and described them as stable and respectful despite the ongoing regional tensions.
“We have very good bilateral relations with India. Iran and India have many historical commonalities and have always maintained good diplomatic ties. What is happening in our region, as I said, is part of the consequences of the war imposed on Iran and the region. I think India recognises the fact that Iran, a sovereign member of the United Nations, has been unjustly attacked by two nuclear-armed regimes. No one can ignore these very clear facts,” he said.
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He added that Iran’s relations with other countries were never aimed against India.
“When it comes to India's bilateral relations with other countries, it is up to India to decide. Our relations with other countries have never been directed against India, and this is part of the basic principles of international law; no bilateral relationship should be against a third country,” he said.
“So our relations with India are based on mutual respect and mutual interests, and we are looking forward to continuing these healthy relations,” he added.
Araghchi likely to attend BRICS meeting in Delhi
Baghaei confirmed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to travel to India for the upcoming BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting scheduled for May 14 and 15.
“We plan to. I know that Minister Araghchi plans to attend this important meeting. Iran and India are both members of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and I understand that we have a good level of cooperation and coordination in both organisations,” he said.
“The meeting is important for us, and we are looking forward to having bilateral meetings with other ministers participating in this event, including, of course, the foreign minister of India as the host,” he added.