Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran hopes to deliver the regional nations’ message of peace and stability, including "an end to any intervention in the sensitive Persian Gulf and the Middle East" to the world, according to IRNA.
“I will also get the Iranian nation’s message across to the international community. The Iranian people are suffering from a cruel economic war. Iran is a nation of resistance and wants everyone to return to their commitments and laws,” Rouhani said.
The Iranian president's speech at the UN General Assembly is slated for Wednesday. He is to propose the idea of a “Hormuz Peace”, an initiative by Tehran aimed at the de-escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf, IRNA reported.
Tensions in the Middle East, and in the Gulf region particularly, escalated further following the 14 September attacks against Saudi Arabia's oil facilities. Despite Yemen's Houthis claim for the attack, Washington has blamed Iran. Tehran has denied any involvement.
The Middle East remains tense as the US continues its policy of 'maximum pressure' on Iran, labeling the latter "a threat" to regional peace.
Since early 2019, the US has been building up its military presence in the Middle East under the pretext of an "Iranian threat" and the latter’s alleged intention to obtain nuclear weapons. In the Persian Gulf in particular, several incidents have taken place, including the downing of a US RQ-4A Global Hawk spy drone in June, which Iran claimed had violated its airspace.
Iran has reiterated that it does not seek war, with the country’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, noting that Tehran “would have been able to do it [develop nuclear weapons] a long time ago,” had it been interested.
