Iran says Strait of Hormuz to remain open if US ends threats, attacks

Iranian SNSC Secretary Major General Rezaei has rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that the Strait of Hormuz is open, calling it a “big lie” during a televised interview aired on the night of September 6.

Rezaei said Iran was monitoring and striking American vessels attempting to pass through the strategic waterway, claiming the United States was spending large sums of money to move five or six vessels through the strait, Mehr reports. 

He said most of the vessels were struck but added that Iran had so far decided not to sink them because they were carrying oil.

"Of course, Iran has decided not to sink American smuggling vessels because they carry oil, and that would damage the region's environment."

Rezaei also dismissed claims that the US economic blockade had caused a major famine in Iran, saying the Iranian government had long prepared for such circumstances and maintained sufficient reserves of food and essential goods.

He said Iran continued to sell its oil and repatriate the proceeds.

Rezaei further claimed that Iran had, 48 hours earlier, tested an Iranian anti-destroyer missile directly above a US aircraft carrier for the first time. He said the missile caused significant concern among US forces and forced them to retreat.

"The Americans must gain Iran's trust for negotiations to continue."

According to Rezaei, Iran's main difficulty during negotiations over the Islamabad memorandum of understanding was a lack of trust in guarantees provided by intermediaries. He said Tehran was pursuing diplomacy while seeking firm guarantees.

Rezaei said Iran would only commit to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open if the United States stopped threatening and attacking Iran.

He also claimed that Iranian forces had dealt a severe blow to the US Titan base in Jordan. Rezaei said Iran had identified several American targets, including the Titan base and facilities in Erbil, but had deliberately refrained from striking them initially.

He claimed that after Iran targeted those locations, Trump backed down from a 10-day war he had previously declared.

On Lebanon, Rezaei said the country would recover despite the fluctuations of conflict and maintained that Hezbollah had historically held the upper hand.

"Lebanon will rise again, in any war, victory after victory or defeat after defeat is not how it works; wars have their ups and downs."

The SNSC secretary also said Iran reserved the right to respond to what he described as a US attack on a wedding ceremony, calling it a "bloody American crime."

By Sabina Mammadli