TEHRAN: Iran sharply criticized the United States on Tuesday over a proposed United Nations Security Council resolution concerning maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Washington of attempting to manipulate international institutions for political purposes.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that the United States and several regional allies were trying to redirect attention away from what Tehran described as military aggression and unlawful pressure against Iran.
In a statement shared on X, Gharibabadi argued that Washington sought to portray Iran as responsible for regional instability while ignoring the broader context of military confrontations, sanctions, and naval tensions involving the United States and Israel.
Furthermore, the Iranian official emphasized that the principle of freedom of navigation should not receive selective or politically motivated interpretation detached from the United Nations Charter. He maintained that genuine maritime security efforts must acknowledge military actions, naval blockades, and threats that contributed to the current crisis.
According to Gharibabadi, some governments were attempting to redefine the consequences of their own policies under the language of international order. Consequently, he warned that such an approach would neither support de-escalation nor strengthen the credibility of international mechanisms.
The remarks followed reports that Washington held discussions with Persian Gulf countries last week to build support for its proposed resolution. The draft reportedly calls on Iran to halt actions in the strategic waterway and warns of possible sanctions or further measures if tensions continue.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials reiterated that Tehran’s actions in the region remain defensive responses to years of sanctions, military pressure, and foreign presence in the Persian Gulf. They also argued that escalating military deployments by the United States contribute significantly to regional instability.
