Tehran [Iran], April 30 (ANI): Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday pledged that Tehran will guarantee security in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and put an end to what he called hostile abuses of the waterway amid heightened tensions with the United States.
In a message broadcast by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) for Persian Gulf Day, Khamenei stressed the geopolitical and economic significance of the Persian Gulf, calling it a “divine blessing” that has shaped regional identity and serves as a crucial route for global trade through the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman.
“A blessing beyond a body of water that has shaped part of our identity and civilisation and, in addition to being a point of connection between nations, has created a vital and unique path for the global economy in the Strait of Hormuz and then the Sea of Oman,” he said.
Khamenei accused Western powers, especially the United States, of destabilising the region, arguing that foreign military presence has historically produced insecurity and conflict and that recent events have shown external actors cannot guarantee stability in the Gulf. He reiterated Iran’s determination to take a leading role in protecting maritime routes.
He framed the Islamic Revolution as a turning point in resisting foreign influence—from earlier Portuguese and Dutch incursions to later British and American involvement—and said the revolution cut off the “hands of the arrogant powers” from the Persian Gulf.
“Today, two months after the largest military campaign and aggression by the world’s bullies in the region and the shameful failure of America in its plan, a new chapter is emerging for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei said.
The Supreme Leader added that, with gratitude for being entrusted with managing the Strait, Iran will secure the Persian Gulf and remove hostile abuses of the waterway. He said the legal framework and implementation of new management will bring comfort and progress for all regional nations and provide economic benefits, “even if the infidels hate it.”
Persian Gulf Day, observed annually on April 30 in Iran, commemorates the expulsion of Portuguese colonial forces from Hormuz Island in 1622 and is used to reaffirm national sovereignty claims over the Gulf and its strategic channels.
Press TV recounts that Shah Abbas I led forces that defeated the Portuguese at Hormuz, ending about two decades of conflict and nearly a century of foreign control over parts of the Persian Gulf. (ANI)
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