UNITED NATIONS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations, said Thursday that it is his country's "inherent right" to preserve peace and security in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iravani told reporters that Iran "fully respects and remains committed to the principle of freedom of navigation under the law of the sea."

"However, the current situation in the region, including in the Strait of Hormuz, is not the result of Iran's lawful exercise of its right of self-defense. Rather, it is the direct consequence of the destabilizing actions of the United States in launching aggression against Iran and undermining regional security," he said.

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday called for the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, saying that "the lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely continue to be used."