Iran’s foreign minister wrote in the Financial Times that, by geography, Iran
has unmatched control over maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and that
alternative routes are overhyped; the waterway is indispensable to the region
and the global economy. He said Iran is determined to fulfill its historical role
as guardian of the strait and of vessels with lawful passage. A solution remains
possible only if the US genuinely accepts it has no military option, he added.
Any further escalation in or around the Strait of Hormuz would endanger civilians
lives, the welfare of all regional states and the global economy. He warned that
US military action instead of diplomacy would produce greater strategic failure
and said Iran will not yield to any power.
