Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz is
a pillar of Iran’s national security and Tehran must preserve Iran’s existing
arrangements in the vital shipping route. In an address to the nation he said
Iran is engaged in a complex struggle with the United States and must remain
prepared to fight; he added US strategy toward Iran has not changed and aims not
only to weaken Iran but to sow domestic divisions. Ghalibaf said Iran’s policy
in both conflicts and negotiations should be grounded in realism, national
interest and a long-term perspective.
