ALWAGHT- Criticizing US President Donald Trump's rhetoric, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei declared that Washington has come to understand it is unable to speak to Tehran through coercion or intimidation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei dismissed US President Donald Trump's so-called "Project Freedom" plan for the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the world neither accepts Washington's humanitarian claims nor believes the US can escape its self-created quagmire. Baghaei asserted that the US should have learned it cannot speak to Iran through threats and coercion, emphasizing that Iran considers itself the guardian of the strait's security. He added that the waterway was safe before February 28 and that the international community should hold the US accountable for making it unsafe.
Baghaei advised other countries, including France, not to further complicate the situation, stating that Iran's measures are in line with international law and aimed at protecting Iranian interests from aggression. He called on countries to prevent the escalation of US actions, accusing Washington of rendering international waters unsafe through piracy. Regarding diplomatic efforts, Baghaei noted that Iran and Oman—both littoral states—must establish a mechanism for safe passage through the strait, as maritime security has been disrupted by the United States.
The spokesman addressed Trump's claim that the US would "help free up" ships stuck in the strait under a campaign called Project Freedom. He noted that Iran received a US response to its 14-point plan through Pakistan as mediator, with details under review. Baghaei criticized the US for having "excessive demands" that it struggles to abandon, adding that media speculation about Iran's nuclear program is unfounded. He reiterated his call for the international community to hold the US accountable for making the Strait of Hormuz unsafe.
