Tehran [Iran], April 30 (ANI): Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf on Thursday said Tehran will ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and end what he described as U.S. “presence and interference” by exercising control over the Strait of Hormuz. His remarks come amid heightened geopolitical tensions following recent confrontations between Iran and Washington and an ongoing power struggle over the strategic waterway.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf referred to historical events, stating that Iranian forces expelled European colonizers from the Persian Gulf in 1622 after more than a century of occupation.
“In the year 1622 AD, after 115 years of occupation, we expelled the European colonizers from the Persian Gulf, and we celebrate Persian Gulf Day in honor of this victory. Today as well, Iran, by exercising control over the Strait of Hormuz, will ensure that it and its neighbors enjoy the precious blessing of a future free from the presence and interference of America,” the post read.
His remarks were made on the occasion of Persian Gulf Day, observed annually on April 30 in Iran, which commemorates a historic victory against colonial forces and is often used to reinforce narratives of national sovereignty tied to the Gulf and its strategic waterways.
The occasion marks the defeat of Portuguese colonial forces and their expulsion from Hormuz Island in 1622. According to Press TV, Iranian ruler Abbas I led forces that defeated the Portuguese on Hormuz Island, ending a two-decade conflict and bringing to a close nearly a century of foreign control over the Persian Gulf.
Separately, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei underscored the historical significance of the Persian Gulf, describing it as an enduring identity marker that cannot be altered by political disputes or media narratives.
“A day to recall a truth that neither changes with media clamor nor fades with political games,” Baqaei said in a post on X, adding that regional stability and security depend on respect for historical and geographical realities.
He further stated that “identity cannot be usurped” and reiterated that the name “Persian Gulf” is deeply rooted in history and will remain unchanged.
“In today’s tense regional environment, the stability and security of this body of water can only be ensured through respect for the will of the Iranian nation and acknowledgment of clear historical and geographical realities. Identity cannot be usurped. Names cannot be erased from the world’s memory. The Persian Gulf, a name as old as history, will forever remain the Persian Gulf,” Baqaei said. (ANI)
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