Iran VP Aref says Tehran’s “right” to Strait of Hormuz is settled

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Wednesday that Tehran’s claim over the Strait of Hormuz was no longer open to debate, underscoring the Islamic Republic’s increasingly assertive rhetoric over the strategic waterway.

“Our right to the Strait of Hormuz is established, and the matter is closed,” Aref said, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.

Aref added that Iran’s previous planning had focused on sanctions and pressure from adversaries, but that policymakers must now concentrate on “the security and wellbeing of our country and the region.”