Iran warns Hormuz Strait not "theater" for transregional powers' military display

A senior Iranian diplomat warned Saturday the Strait of Hormuz is not a "theater" for transregional powers' military display.

"Iran, as the responsible authority and guarantor of security in the strait, warns against any military movement in the sensitive waterway," Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on social media platform X.

The strait's security is the sole responsibility of Iran and Oman, Gharibabadi said, dismissing a joint statement on Friday by outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.

In their statement, Starmer and Macron described the waterway as a "vital artery" for the global economy, adding, "Restoring safe transit for ships of all nations through the strait is a matter of global concern."

They said Oman has agreed to work with Britain and France to ensure "its sovereign territorial waters are safe for navigation", stressing that Britain and France "also stand ready to deploy the wider Multinational Military Mission to support freedom of navigation" in the strait.

Iran has tightened its grip on the strait since Feb 28, when it barred safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

In April, Britain and France said they would lead a multinational mission to protect commercial shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz. The two countries have since expanded military presence in the Middle East.

On Friday, Macron said on social media that France's aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle would return to its home port of Toulon.

Iran warns Hormuz Strait not "theater" for transregional powers' military display

Russia and Ukraine on Saturday reported launching large-scale strikes against each other from Friday night into early Saturday morning.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that over the past 24 hours, its forces had struck fuel, energy and transport infrastructure, as well as long-range drone production and storage facilities of Ukrainian forces in 142 locations.

Russian forces also hit temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries, and took control of four more settlements in the Kharkiv region, it said.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said 268 combat engagements were recorded from Friday to Saturday.

Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian forces struck three Russian command posts, five drone command posts and other targets, it said, adding that two Russian missiles and 17 drones hit 16 targets.

Ukrainian defense forces also hit a Russian military helicopter in the airspace over the Sea of Azov in the early hours of Saturday, and struck a railway bridge over the Siverskyi Donets River in the Luhansk region, according to the General Staff.

Russia, Ukraine report launching large-scale strikes against each other