Araghchi in Call with Cyprus Foreign Minister: US Actions in Strait of Hormuz Must Be Answered

The account is that Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held a phone conversation with Constantinos Kombos, Cyprus’s foreign minister, on Monday evening to exchange views on regional developments. During the call, Araghchi described U.S. actions in the Strait of Hormuz as illegal, aggressive, criminal, and provocative, saying they have put both regional peace and security at risk and caused an unprecedented disruption to commercial shipping. He also said the insecurity imposed on the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is a direct result of U.S. military aggression and the “Zionist regime” against Iran, and called for the United States to be held accountable by the international community. On the other side, the Cypriot foreign minister emphasized his country’s commitment to regional peace and security and the need to use diplomatic channels to prevent further escalation of tensions.

• According to IRNA, the conversation took place Monday evening, and the names of both sides, Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Constantinos Kombos, were explicitly mentioned.
• ISNA and several other outlets reported that Araghchi described U.S. actions in the Strait of Hormuz as “criminal” and “provocative.”
• In reports by ISNA, Khabar Online, the Young Journalists Club, and others, Araghchi said these actions have not only threatened regional peace and security, but also caused an “unprecedented” disruption to commercial shipping.
• Based on the published texts, Araghchi addressed the international community and said it should hold the United States accountable in this regard.
• Jamaran and Mehr added that Araghchi considered the insecurity imposed on the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz a direct result of U.S. military aggression and the “Zionist regime” against Iran.
• In some coverage, such as Etemad, Akharin Khabar, and Tejarat News, the main headline focused on Araghchi’s call for the United States to be held accountable.
• In reports by IRNA, Jamaran, Mehr, and ISNA, the phone call itself and the exchange of views on regional developments were highlighted.
• Quoting the Cypriot side, ISNA, Akharin Khabar, and Mehr reported that Constantinos Kombos emphasized the importance of regional peace and security.
• These same sources also wrote that the Cypriot foreign minister stressed the need to use diplomatic channels to prevent tensions from escalating.
• In the TASS report, the independent, brief headline “Iran will remain the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz” appeared, but the accompanying text provided no further details on this claim.. Coverage difference:

Most Persian-language outlets focused on Araghchi’s remarks about the United States, the Strait of Hormuz, and disruption to commercial shipping, and in their headlines they usually highlighted the call for U.S. accountability. By contrast, IRNA, Jamaran, and Mehr also included the phone call itself and the Cypriot position, while