Iran rejects US pressure in Hormuz and criticizes Washington’s demands

Tehran.- Iran rejected on Monday the “threats” from the United States in the Strait of Hormuz and criticized Washington for its “excessive” demands in the negotiations it is holding to end the war.

“Americans should have already learned that they cannot use the language of threat and coercion against the Iranian people,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagaei at a press conference.

The diplomat stated that “Iran has shown that it considers itself the protector and guardian of the Strait of Hormuz,” in an apparent reference to the operation announced by US President Donald Trump to free the vessels trapped in the region by the Iranian blockade. Bagaei blamed the United States and Israel for the closure of the strategic passage, through which 20% of the world’s oil circulates. “Before February, the Strait of Hormuz was, without any problem, a safe and stable transit route for international navigation,” he said.

He also asserted that “the world does not accept the supposed humanitarian justifications of the United States nor does it believe that Washington can get out of this quagmire it has gotten itself into alone”.

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Regarding the negotiations, Bagaei noted that they are reviewing the US response to the proposal that Tehran sent to Washington through Islamabad, but criticized the US stance. “With the current US administration, no diplomatic process has come to fruition due to a lack of sincere willingness on the other side,” he said, The source accused the Trump Administration of “constantly changing its positions and raising issues that, in practice, may hinder any diplomatic process.” Iran and the United States held a high-level meeting in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but did not reach an agreement to end the conflict and, since then, have not reached a consensus to resume talks. However, both sides have continued to exchange messages.