Strait of Hormuz open for trade, not for militarisation, says Iran's Mohsen Rezaei

Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Tehran’s Expediency Council and former IRGC commander, has stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for trade, but not for military build-up or the spread of instability in the region,  Iranian media reported.

The former chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that, at one time, the United States had deployed naval fleets to the region against the Soviet Union. He questioned who America is now sending its naval fleets against and who its current enemy is.

Mohsen Rezaei added that Iran seeks friendly and brotherly relations with all countries in the region. However, he claimed that the United States is pursuing an agenda aimed at frightening other regional states about Iran.

Referring to remarks attributed to US President Donald Trump, Iran official said Trump had claimed that the Chinese president also wanted Iran not to develop a nuclear bomb.

“I ask, when has Iran ever said that it wants to build a nuclear bomb?” Mohsen said.

Trump warns ‘won’t be anything left’ of Iran unless it agrees to deal

He further questioned who, apart from the United States and Israel, claims that Iran intends to develop nuclear weapons.

President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran “there won’t be anything left of them” if Tehran does not quickly agree to a peace deal with the United States.

Washington, locked in conflict with Tehran since US and Israeli forces launched major strikes on the Islamic republic beginning February 28, has struggled to break an impasse and make any progress toward ending a war that has shaken the Middle East and sent energy prices climbing.

“For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”