Speaker of the Parliament of Iran: "If the U.S. maritime blockade continues, we will close the Strait of Hormuz again"

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[The Financial News] Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Parliament of Iran, has pushed back against U.S. pressure to block the Strait of Hormuz, saying he would close it again if the pressure continues.
According to foreign media outlets including Agence France-Presse (AFP), Ghalibaf wrote on his social media account on the 17th (local time), "If the blockade continues, we will close the Strait of Hormuz again," stressing that passage through the strait depends on Iran's approval.
Ghalibaf also criticized President Donald Trump's remarks, calling them "all lies" and saying, in effect, that "lies do not win wars or produce results in negotiations."
His remarks are seen as a response to Trump's warning earlier in the day that, despite the temporary opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the naval blockade on Iran would remain fully in place until a deal with Iran is 100% completed.
Even with the temporary opening of the Strait of Hormuz, tensions between the United States and Iran do not appear to be easing. The two sides remain divided over the issue of removing Iran's enriched uranium.
theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter