Strait of Hormuz will remain closed: Iranian official

A high-ranking member of Iran’s Expediency Council says the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in effect, adding that the United States is responsible for escalating insecurity in the West Asian region.

Mohsen Rezaei, a former IRGC commander, made the remarks on Saturday as he addressed participants at a mass funeral procession in the Iranian capital Tehran for the late secretary of the Supreme National Defense Council Admiral Ali Shamkhani, who was assassinated in a US-Israeli strike on February 28.

He emphasized that the strategic waterway will remain shut, and no US warship is allowed to enter Persian Gulf waters.

“The presence of US (forces) in the Persian Gulf has been the main factor behind insecurity for the past 50 years. It is impossible to ensure security there unless the United States withdraws from the region, and regional countries, particularly Iran and Oman, take control of the Strait of Hormuz,” he pointed out.

The senior official noted that the Islamic Republic will consider an end to its retaliatory operations once it receives full reparations for damages sustained in terrorist US-Israeli strikes, and a firm guarantee concerning the future of security is given – including a complete US pullout from the Persian Gulf.

Rezaei highlighted that Iran has emerged triumphant in political, defense and economic domains, stating that Iran has shattered the invincibility myth of the United States.
From an economic perspective, he added that Americans took a decision unprecedented in the past 44 years, and released 170 million barrels of crude oil from their strategic reserves in order to lower soaring prices.
“This will not last for not more than one or two weeks as prices will surge sharply once again,” he commented.

The member of the Expediency Council emphasized that Iran’s victory is certain in terms of defense.

“No one could ever expect a country like Iran to deal a sharp blow to the United States, which enjoys the most sophisticated technologies, aircraft, missiles and air defense systems. Future is ours and the Iranian flag will be hoisted high,” Rezaei said.