Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared on Thursday, 30 April that any US attempt to impose a naval blockade and maritime restrictions on Iran is "doomed to failure," warning that such moves violate international law and threaten regional and global stability. The statement came as Tehran marked Persian Gulf National Day, which falls on 30 April each year.

What Pezeshkian Said

In a statement published on his office's website, Pezeshkian said Iran's "enemies" have shifted their pressure to the economic and maritime arenas, deploying a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz and restrictions on maritime trade as a new tool against the Iranian government and people. He stressed that the Gulf "is not an arena for imposing unilateral foreign wills, but rather part of the international interactions' system," adding that its security "makes sense only in the light of collective cooperation and mutual respect for the sovereignty of the coastal countries."

Pezeshkian emphasised that "any attempt to impose a blockade and maritime restrictions on the waterway is contrary to international law and a threat to the regional nations' interests and global peace and stability, and is doomed to failure." He placed direct responsibility for any insecurity in the waterway on the United States and Israel.

Background: The US Blockade and Its Origins

According to the report, the United States imposed its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz after post-ceasefire negotiations between Iran and the US in Islamabad, Pakistan on 11 and 12 April failed to produce an agreement. A ceasefire between Iran, the United States, and Israel had taken effect on 8 April, following 40 days of fighting that reportedly began on 28 February when the US and Israel launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians, according to the report.

Iran, in turn, responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US assets across the Middle East, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly barring passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.

Iran's Position on the Strait of Hormuz

Pezeshkian described Iran as "the guardian of security" in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that Tehran continues to adhere to the principles of freedom of navigation and maritime safety — "except for hostile countries." He added that implementation of these principles must be accompanied by respect for Iranian sovereignty and the Iranian nation.

Iran has repeatedly maintained, according to the statement, that foreign presence and interventions in the region serve only to escalate tensions and disrupt lasting peace. Pezeshkian also noted that during what he described as the 40-day US-Israeli war against Iran, US military bases in West Asia failed to ensure host countries' security, and that Iran treated the origins of strikes against its territory as legitimate targets for retaliation.

Strategic Significance of the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, through which a significant share of global oil and gas exports pass. Any sustained disruption to navigation there carries substantial consequences for global energy markets and international trade. This comes amid an already volatile regional environment, with the post-ceasefire diplomatic process between Tehran and Washington at an apparent impasse following the failed Islamabad talks.

As tensions remain elevated, the trajectory of US-Iran negotiations and the status of the Strait of Hormuz blockade will be closely watched by regional governments and global energy markets alike.