TEHRAN — Iranian Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Nikzad warned that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz will not return to its previous status under any circumstances.
In an interview Sunday (April 26) with Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, he said the position was a direct order from the country’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
Nikzad said that under the order of the leader of the revolution, the current closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be maintained. Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public or delivered any public address since being declared Iran’s supreme leader.
Calling the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb crucial to the global economy, Nikzad said: “It is a divine blessing of the war that we have realized — if we press our foot on the throat of the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, 25 percent of the global economy will be directly affected.” The Bab el-Mandeb strait, located between Yemen and Africa, is also known as one of the world’s main maritime trade routes.
The first message issued by Mojtaba Khamenei after taking over as supreme leader earlier this year signaled a firm stance on keeping the strait closed. His position has caused widespread volatility in global markets.
The waterway has become a major battleground in the war between Iran and the United States and Israel. Iran’s new position is feared to push the global energy and supply chain into a more prolonged crisis.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report