Iran's century-long management of the Strait of Hormuz is the reason for Arab stability in the Gulf region, while the West has delivered nothing but "brutality and plunder of wealth," said Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran's Leader.

In the same context, Velayati called on "marginalized and politically adolescent figures" in the region not to pin their hopes on "embellished statements," adding that they should realize their lives "amount to no more than crumbs from this feast."

The remarks follow recent announcements by Iranian maritime authorities. On June 24, Iran's PGSA warned of the consequences of transiting through unauthorized routes in the Strait of Hormuz without prior coordination, reminding that the consequences fall on the vessel's owner, operator, and captain. It added that any passage outside the framework designated by the authority "will not be covered by safe passage guarantees, nor will it be included in insurance and liability coverage."

On June 25, the IRGC's Navy declared that the only permissible route for crossing the Strait of Hormuz is the one formally determined and announced by Tehran, warning that ship movement and navigation outside that zone are "extremely dangerous and entirely prohibited."

They also stressed that announcing a new shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz without prior coordination with Iranian authorities is "unacceptable and carries grave danger."

Iran dismisses US-GCC statement as irresponsible, provocative

Earlier today, Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the Thursday joint statement from the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council as "interventionist, irresponsible, and provocative," accusing Washington and "Israel" of recycling "false narratives" about Tehran's nuclear program.

The ministry dismissed US assurances of Gulf security as hollow, pointing to US military bases in the region as proof of the opposite, calling them a "burden" on local populations and a source of instability. It also singled out countries whose territory was used in strikes against Iran, urging them to reconsider their position.

On the nuclear file, Tehran reiterated its call for a nuclear-weapons-free zone across West Asia and pressed Gulf states to prevent any third party from using their territory or facilities for an attack on Iran, framing it as a matter of "good-neighborly relations."

The condemnation came in response to a June 25 joint statement issued after a ministerial meeting in Manama, chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.

On the Strait of Hormuz, the US-GCC statement reaffirmed "unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation," explicitly rejecting any fees, tolls, or attempts to exert control over the waterway, and stressing that preserving this principle is vital to both regional and global security.

The statement, issued at the close of Rubio's Gulf tour, also welcomed an Oman-IMO plan to evacuate more than 11,000 stranded seafarers and addressed broader regional files including Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, and Iraq.