Iran says US war threatens region, rules out new mediator

• Iran says the US war is a threat to the entire region, not just Iran, and links instability in the Strait of Hormuz to US and ‘Israeli’ military actions.
• Tehran says China is helping prevent further escalation but insists there is no new mediator in talks with Washington.

Iran said Monday that the US war against the country is a threat to the entire Middle East, arguing that regional insecurity has intensified because of US and ‘Israeli’ military actions.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the war extends beyond Iran and affects the security of all countries in the region.

"It is a war against the entire region and against the security of all countries in the region," Baghaei said.

He argued that the expanded US military presence and the use of facilities in Gulf countries over the past five months have contributed to growing instability.

"In these five months, we have seen first-hand that the US military presence in the region and the use of the territory and facilities of the countries on the southern edge of the Persian Gulf have exacerbated insecurity and instability for all countries in the region," he said.

Baghaei added that regional countries therefore have a shared interest in preventing the situation from escalating further.

Baghaei said reaching an agreement on a shipping route and ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is necessary for reopening the strategic waterway, but stressed that such an agreement alone would not resolve the crisis.

"But it is not a sufficient condition," he said.

He rejected suggestions that the dispute over the waterway is between Iran and Oman.

"The Strait of Hormuz is not closed due to differences of opinion between Iran and Oman," Baghaei said.

Instead, he blamed the disruption on what he described as military aggression by the US and the ‘Israeli’ regime.

"The Strait of Hormuz has been in trouble due to the military aggression by the US and the Zionist regime in March last year," he said.

Baghaei said China is concerned about the worsening security situation and is using its diplomatic influence to help prevent further escalation.

"Our Chinese friends are trying to use their capacities to prevent the situation from escalating," he said.

He added that China is among several countries offering assistance but emphasized that no new mediator has joined the indirect talks between Iran and the US.

According to Baghaei, Pakistan continues to mediate issues related to Iran and the US, while Qatar assists when needed.