Iran president says Middle East has no need for US 'policeman'

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that the Middle East does not need the United States to act as a "regional policeman."

He made the remark as the two countries remain at war and compete for control of the Strait of Hormuz.

What did Iran's president say about a US 'policeman'?

Pezeshkian said, "We do not need a regional policeman," speaking on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in India during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

He added that regional security and territorial integrity can only be guaranteed by the countries that make up the Middle East itself, according to the Iranian presidency.

Why are Iran and the US fighting over the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran has been at war since February 28, when US-Israeli strikes killed its supreme leader. The Islamic republic retaliated with attacks across the region and blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil previously flowed. Iran and the US have since been competing for control of the strategic waterway.

How has the Strait of Hormuz blockade changed shipping?

The strait was free to transit before the war, but Iran now requires vessels to obtain permission and is considering a mechanism to impose service fees. Ships that do not comply are regularly targeted by Iranian strikes, while the US periodically bombs the Iranian coastline to challenge Iran's control of the strait. More than six months into the Middle East war, the blockade continues to drive up oil prices, which soared past $100 a barrel this week.

Does Iran still want peace with the US?

Pezeshkian said, "Despite all the injustices suffered by our people, we neither desire war nor its continuation. Peace remains our priority."

His comments came alongside separate remarks in India about mounting US pressure on Iran, though he maintained that Tehran is not seeking to prolong the conflict.