"Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accused American leaders of waging a war against 'humanity and civilisation' during a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday. "The American people must realise the extent of the catastrophic confusion that American politicians are experiencing themselves. They have ignited a war against humanity, civilisation, and a civilised nation, and now they are desperately searching for a justification for this war," he said. Baghaei stated that the passage and movement of ships across the Strait of Hormuz is subject to certain conditions, blaming the United States and Israel for the insecurity in the waterway. "The United States, Israel and their allies should not use the Strait of Hormuz to attack Iran. This is both a logical principle and an acceptable practice under international law," he stressed. "It is our armed forces that control passage and movement [...] Whether or not others enter this battle is their decision, but it is certain that Islamic and Arab states and peoples will not accept being partners or supporters of a regime that has recently carried," he added.   The Iranian official urged world countries to avoid getting involved in the aggression against Iran, following calls by US President Donald Trump to dispatch forces to open the Strait. "In Europe, some states are openly declaring the war imposed on Iran to be illegal, and we hope that all states will stand up to this bullying by the United States and the Zionist entity for once," he continued. This comes after repeated calls by US President Donald Trump for various countries to help open the Strait of Hormuz and escort ships and oil tankers to ensure their passage. Tehran says the strait remains open only to ships from 'friendly countries,' affirming its control over transit traffic. Tensions in the Middle East escalated after the United States and Israel launched joint military operations against Iran on February 28, while diplomatic talks had been underway aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes. Tehran responded by launching strikes targeting Israeli territory and US military sites across the region, with explosions reported in several Gulf countries. During the escalation, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed and later succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei. The conflict further widened after Hezbollah launched strikes on Israel, saying they were carried out in retaliation for Khamenei’s assassination. Regional shipping routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, have been disrupted following its closure, a key artery through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass. The escalation has pushed global oil prices above $100 per barrel, increasing pressure on international markets and sparking protests in several countries."