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Hormuz 'remains closed'

The Iranian Army has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States accepts Iran’s authority and regulations governing the strategic waterway. Army Spokesman, Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia said reopening the Strait of Hormuz depends on US compliance with its commitment sunder the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, an end to its warmongering moves, and acceptance of Iran's regulations for the Hormuz Strait. The spokesman for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, for his part, warned the US against any plan to prolong the war with Iran. Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi said enemy’s plan for dragging Iran into a prolonged war of attrition is doomed to fail. He added that Iran’s operations are currently focused on targeting US military’s offensive infrastructure in the region, and next steps will be taken later. Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz after renewed US strikes on southern regions of the country, which have so far killed and injured hundreds of civilians, including women and children.

Iran controlling Hormuz Strait 

The Iranian parliament speaker says maintaining Iran's control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz is directly tied to safeguarding the country’s national security. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a statement that Iran decided to close the Strait during the recent US-Israeli aggression, because enemies used it to threaten the country’s national security. He stressed that Iran would not allow adversaries to impose their will in the strategic waterway. Referring to renewed US strikes on Iran, Ghalibaf said the enemy is mounting pressure to make up for its defeat. He said Iran will rely on its own strength and will not allow the enemies to achieve their objectives. Ghalibaf added that Iran’s armed forces have full freedom of action to respond to any aggression. Addressing the MoU signed with the US, he said Iran has no reason to remain committed to the agreement if it does not serve the country’s interests. He said Tehran neither seeks nor welcomes war, but remains prepared to defend its national security and interests. Ghalibaf said diplomatic efforts should be also used to protect the country's interests when necessary.

US Iran aggression 

The United States has launched a new wave of military attacks on southern regions of Iran, targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, including a hospital for children. The new wave of attacks by terrorist U.S. forces hit various locations in Sistan and Baluchestan, Hormuzgan, and Khuzestan provinces. According to local sources, several American missiles hit the vicinity of a hospital for children with cancer in Khuzestan’s capital city of Ahvaz. The attack prompted the hospital’s officials to evacuate more than two-hundred patients. The attack on Ahvaz also damaged several residential buildings near the hospital. According to Iran's Health Ministry, at least 35 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in the new wave of US strikes on Iran, and more than 300 have been injured. The US Central Command also claimed that its forces have hit and disabled an oil tanker attempting to sail toward an Iranian port in the Persian Gulf. The attack on the ship came after the US declared resumption of the naval blockade on Iran.

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