Tehran (ISNA) – Amir-Saeid Iravani made the remarks in a statement delivered during a UN General Assembly meeting on Thursday, three days after the US said that it had imposed a “naval blockade” on the Strait of Hormuz aimed at forcing Iran to reopen the strategic waterway that has been shut down to the country’s enemies following the launch of the illegal US-Israeli aggression.

“The realization of the principles of freedom of navigation and maritime safety in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman—particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, which lies within the territorial seas of its coastal States—is only possible through full respect for the sovereignty and sovereign rights of those coastal States,” he said.

“As such, sustainable stability in the Strait of Hormuz and in the region can only be achieved through the cessation of aggression and the full respect for Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.”

Iravani also warned that the United States’ unlawful actions in the region escalate tensions and threaten both maritime security and international trade.