Tehran [Iran], July 4 (ANI): Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has warned that the Strait of Hormuz is not a theatre for the military display of extra-regional powers.

Gharibabadi, reacting to Joint statement by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron on the Strait of Hormuz, said that crisis-makers will be held accountable.

In a post on X, he said, 'The Strait of Hormuz is not a theater for the military display of extra-regional powers. Iran, as the responsible power and guarantor of the Strait's security, warns with sensitivity to any military movement in this waterway. The security of Hormuz lies with the coastal states; the crisis-makers will be held accountable for the consequences of their adventurism; this is a serious warning.'

https://x.com/Gharibabadi/status/2073286005101084994?s=20

The joint statement in question said that Oman agreed to work with the United Kingdom and France to ensure that its sovereign territorial waters are safe for navigation.

'The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for the global economy. Restoring safe transit for ships of all nations through the Strait is a matter of global concern. The Sultanate of Oman has agreed to work with the United Kingdom and France to ensure that its sovereign territorial waters are safe for navigation,' the statement read.

It added, 'The UK and France also stand ready to deploy the wider Multinational Military Mission to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United Kingdom and France reaffirm their shared commitment to regional stability, respect for the sovereignty of all States, and their willingness to maintain close cooperation with their partners in order to uphold global security, freedom of navigation and international law.'

Earlier on July 2, Iran had strongly criticised the US-led regional security summit in Bahrain, rejecting Western attempts to allegedly dictate security frameworks in the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X, Gharibabadi dismissed both the legitimacy of the military summit and the authority of the American command structure in the region, asserting that 'Hormuz is defined under Iran's command, not CENTCOM.' He maintained that a military summit in Bahrain cannot establish 'legal order and security for the Persian Gulf'. (ANI)