Iran\u2019s foreign ministry<\/strong> warned on Monday that oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> \u201cmust be very careful,\u201d as the conflict with the United States<\/strong> and Israel<\/strong> continues to disrupt energy markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking to CNBC<\/strong>, foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei<\/strong> said: \u201cAs long as the situation is insecure, I think all tankers, all maritime navigation, must be very careful.\u201d Baghaei is also head of Iran\u2019s Center for Public Diplomacy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The comments come as crude prices have surged above $100 a barrel<\/strong> amid reports that traffic through Hormuz has been effectively curtailed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baghaei defended Iran\u2019s regional strikes, arguing that attacks on \u201cmilitary bases and assets\u201d tied to the United States are lawful self-defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat we are doing against military bases and assets belonging to the aggressors to the United States in the region, is legitimate under international law,\u201d he said. Baghaei added that Iran views its actions as justified under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said Iran considers \u201call military bases, installations and assets\u201d that are being used \u201cin any form or manner\u201d to support U.S. operations as legitimate targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asked about attacks across Gulf states, including reported strikes on desalination plants in Bahrain<\/strong>, oil refineries in Saudi Arabia<\/strong> and civilian infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates<\/strong>, Baghaei said: \u201cWe are only defending our country against the aggressors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baghaei said Iran will fight the United States and Israel \u201cas long as it takes,\u201d and claimed the country is preparing for all scenarios, including the possibility of a ground invasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also said Iran would \u201cunite around\u201d Mojtaba Khamenei<\/strong>, named as the new supreme leader over the weekend after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/strong> was killed on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe state institutions, the people, the authorities, have all shown that they would unite around the new leadership,\u201d Baghaei said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baghaei dismissed suggestions by President Donald Trump<\/strong> that the United States should influence who leads Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is the absolute, unique right of the Iranians to decide about their leadership, about their system,\u201d he said, adding that outside intervention would be \u201cabsolutely unlawful.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tehran Signals Danger for Shipping Through Hormuz Iran\u2019s foreign ministry warned on Monday that oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz \u201cmust be very careful,\u201d as the conflict with the United States and Israel continues to disrupt energy markets. Speaking to CNBC, foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said: \u201cAs long as the situation is insecure,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4766,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[1218,1219,1220,1217,1216,1166,857,1215,1221,1163],"ppma_author":[42],"class_list":{"0":"post-4765","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-article-51-un-charter","9":"tag-bahrain-desalination","10":"tag-cnbc-interview","11":"tag-crude-oil-prices","12":"tag-esmail-baghaei","13":"tag-gulf-states","14":"tag-iran","15":"tag-oil-tankers","16":"tag-saudi-refinery","17":"tag-strait-of-hormuz"},"yoast_head":"\nBaghaei Defends Strikes on U.S.-Linked Assets in the Gulf<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Gulf Strikes Framed as Defensive by Tehran<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Iran Signals Long Fight and Backs New Supreme Leader<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Baghaei Rejects U.S. Role in Iran\u2019s Leadership Choice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n