Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on Sunday evening responded to France and United Kingdom deploying warships near the Strait of Hormuz, warning that they would “be met with a decisive and immediate response.”
Gharibabadi in a post on X wrote that the Strait of Hormuz “is not the common property of extra-regional powers; it is a sensitive waterway adjacent to coastal states, and the exercise of sovereignty by the Islamic Republic of Iran over this strait and the determination of its legal arrangements is Iran’s right as a coastal state.”
“We remind them that, whether in times of war or peace, only the Islamic Republic of Iran can establish security in this strait and will not allow any country to interfere in such matters,” Gharibabadi wrote, adding, “it is emphasized that the presence of French and British warships, or those of any other country potentially accompanying the illegal and internationally unlawful actions of the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, will be met with a decisive and immediate response from the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Gharibabadi declared that “any deployment and stationing of extra-regional destroyers around the Strait of Hormuz, under the pretext of “protecting shipping,” is nothing but an escalation of the crisis, the militarization of a vital waterway, and an attempt to cover up the true root of insecurity in the region.”
“Maritime security cannot be ensured through displays of military power; especially not by actors who, through their support, participation, or silence in the face of aggression and siege, are themselves part of the problems,” he added.
Multinational Coalition Seeks ‘Secure’ Hormuz
The U.K. and France announced plans to deploy warships near the strait – a vital waterway through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply flows – as part of a multinational operation to escort shipping through the Strait, as and when shipping allows.
It comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains restricted, and the fallout from the Iran war continues to threaten economic instability around the world. France and other European allies immediately ruled out using force when Iran closed the straits in early March, seeking to ensure safe passage while Iran made certain allowances for countries not involved in the conflict to pass.
Britain committed the HMS Dragon, a type 45 destroy, to joint the initiative, which comprises around 40 countries, including NATO allies. The British government said that the ships will only maintain a “pre-position” to commence operations after the end of hostilities between Iran and the U.S.-Israel coalition.
“The pre-positioning of HMS Dragon is part of prudent planning that will ensure that the U.K. is ready, as part of a multinational coalition jointly led by the U.K. and France, to secure the strait, when conditions allow,” a Ministry of Defense spokesman said.
French President Emmanuel Macron later on Sunday at a press conference in Nairobi clarified that France has no intention of using military force to open the waterway and reaffirmed a commitment to security efforts “coordinated with Iran,” according to the AFP.
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