AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Ismail Baqaei, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, responding to a question from the news network regarding Trump's statements that Iran must open the Strait of Hormuz, that the strait is already open, and his other claims, said: "We said goodbye to the language of 'must' 47 years ago. None of the Western parties, when speaking about Iran, should use 'must.' We make decisions based on the interests of the Iranian nation."
He added, "These 'musts' and 'must-nots' that American officials are accustomed to using regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran, we should read as 'requests.'"
Baqaei emphasized, "We act based on our national interests, not on what the Americans say we should do."
He noted, "The exchange of messages continues so far, but no final understanding has been reached. I must say that at this stage, we are focused on ending the war, and we are not focused on the nuclear issue."
Baqaei once again stated, "At this stage, our focus is on ending the war. We are not discussing details related to enrichment or the issue of enriched uranium at this stage."
Reacting to Trump's claim about the end of the naval blockade, he said, "What the Americans call a naval blockade was from the very beginning an illegal act and a violation of the ceasefire, as well as a disruption of international freedom of navigation."
"We need to see whether they will actually act on this statement or if it is merely a propaganda claim. If they do this, it would mean stopping an illegal act they started a few weeks ago, something they should not have done in the first place."
Regarding the understanding, I said, as I am speaking to you now, the exchange of messages continues, but no final understanding has been reached.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson, responding to Trump's claims about the Strait of Hormuz, said: "The Strait of Hormuz is located within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman. We are facing a special situation that we cannot ignore."
"The passage of hostile ships through the Strait of Hormuz remains prohibited, and commercial ships pass through coordination with Iran's armed forces."
"Certainly, Iran and Oman, as two responsible countries, must adopt mechanisms that both preserve their own national interests and security as coastal states and reassure the international community that shipping through this route is conducted safely. This is a matter of course."
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