Iran says Strait of Hormuz won’t close, vows strikes on US targets

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera in exclusive remarks that Tehran has no plan to close the Strait of Hormuz or disrupt navigation, emphasizing that Iran’s responses are acts of self-defence and retaliation against American aggression. He stressed that Iran is not targeting Gulf neighbours or siblings in the region but only American targets, drawing a clear line between Tehran’s actions and regional maritime security.

On the political front, Araghchi hinted at a rapid leadership transition following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He said state institutions are functioning and constitutional procedures are in place, suggesting that the selection of a new supreme leader could occur within days. He also asserted that Iran maintains friendly, neighbourly relations with other Gulf states and remains determined to continue those ties.

In a separate escalation, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced that it had struck the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf with ballistic missiles, signaling a sharp broadening of the confrontation. The claim comes amid a period of heightened tensions after recent US and Israeli strikes in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz has long been viewed as a critical choke point for global energy flows, with roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passing through the strait each year. Even limited military action or threats can disrupt global trade and energy markets, underscoring why observers say the region’s tensions could reverberate far beyond the Gulf. As global oil markets brace for potential shifts, governments and traders alike are closely monitoring every development, hoping for restraint and diplomacy to prevail while preparing for possible disruptions that could ripple through economies worldwide.

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