No plans to close Strait of Hormuz- Iran FM

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated that the country is undergoing a leadership change in accordance with its constitution, following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He informed Al Jazeera that a Transitional Council, made up of the president, the head of the judiciary, and a jurist from the Guardian Council, is currently handling leadership responsibilities until the Assembly of Experts selects a new leader. He anticipated that this choice could be made within one or two days. Araghchi described the killing as “a very serious and unprecedented act” and “a blatant violation of international law,” while assuring that everything is proceeding according to Iran’s legal framework. He also mentioned that Iran is open to diplomatic talks, unlike the United States, which he accused of attacking Iran “for the second time during negotiations.” Araghchi emphasized that Iran has “no restrictions or limits in defending ourselves,” but stated that there are no current plans to close the Strait of Hormuz or disrupt maritime traffic. He highlighted Iran's good relations with its Gulf neighbors, asserting that they are “not attacking our brothers” and aim to keep friendly ties, framing their actions as self-defense and retaliation against U.S. targets. In another development, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a vessel near the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an unknown projectile northwest of Mina Saqr in the United Arab Emirates, resulting in a fire that has been put out. The ship plans to continue its journey, and authorities are looking into the incident. This marks the third maritime event reported by UKMTO today, following earlier incidents north of Muscat in Oman, within the Strait of Hormuz, and off Oman’s Kumzar. Araghchi insisted that Iran is defending itself against ongoing U.S. assaults, targeting American military personnel and bases in the region rather than U.S. territory. He accused U.S. forces of moving into civilian areas as they leave some installations, claiming they are using “human shields,” and reiterated that Iran is focused on military sites connected to U.S. operations against the country.