Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iranian control and that the total capacity of the waterway will be restored after the removal of obstacles.

During a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad, Araghchi said, “The people and government of Iraq have always extended their support during the war. They have always supported the Iranian people, who were victims of the Israeli-American aggression.”

He called on all parties to “adhere to the memorandum of understanding and not to allow this MoU to deviate from its course.” He added all aspects of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the United States must be honored, including the clauses on Lebanon. “This was the first clause of the MoU.”

He said Washington “should live up to its responsibility and force” Israel to end its attacks on Lebanon to end the war.

For his part, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said, “Araghchi’s visit is significant following the signing of the memorandum of understanding with Washington. The war is still ongoing in the region in another form, and there are military skirmishes on the edges of the Strait of Hormuz.”

He added, “We discussed several issues of mutual interest with Araghchi. Iraq was subjected to several attacks in the recent war, and the closure of Hormuz halted the flow of Iraqi oil.”

He emphasized that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has impacted Iraq’s financial and economic situation, adding, “The region can protect itself in several ways, and we call for a meeting of the Gulf states, Iraq, and Iran.”

He added, “The security of the region should be the responsibility of its people, and ending the war in the region is a priority for all of us.” (EIR)