TEHRAN / Anadolu

Mohsen Rezaei, advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said that the Strait of Hormuz plays an important role in ensuring Iran's national security.

Iranian media reported on Sunday that Rezaei made statements about the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that the strait plays an important role in ensuring his country's national security, saying: "We protect the Strait of Hormuz."

He considered that the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz is part of Iran's deterrence power.

On Sunday night, Tehran and Washington launched mutual military strikes, after which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to maritime navigation until further notice, due to what it described as a state of "security instability resulting from foreign intervention."

The Gulf region has witnessed escalating tensions since the outbreak of the US-Israeli military confrontation with Iran on February 28 last, despite Washington and Tehran signing a memorandum of understanding on June 18 last, and the continuation of negotiations between them mediated by Qatar and Pakistan to reach a final agreement.