Iranian armed forces chief Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi on Tuesday laid out five principles for regional security, including a demand to recognize Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, a major energy shipping route.
In a written statement published by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Abdollahi, who also commands the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, sought an end to fighting in Lebanon and Gaza. He said talks conducted amid military threats would amount to coercion.
Abdollahi also called for sanctions to be lifted, blocked Iranian assets to be released and compensation to be paid for war damage. His demands tied regional security to Iran's access to funds as well as its position in the strait.
For the shipping route, he called for a “Hormuz mechanism” to replace what he described as a U.S. security umbrella. He also sought guarantees against further attacks and security arrangements led by countries in the region.
Abdollahi warned that Iran's military response to threats would not be limited by geography. The warning follows an earlier directive from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei calling for an immediate response to threats without geographic limits.
Separately on Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran had delivered its response to Washington. In a parliamentary speech, he warned that another U.S. military action would bring an unpredictable response from Iran.
