Iran: Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has stated that US President Donald Trump has openly admitted to 'piracy' and criminal actions against international shipping.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, on Saturday, Baqaei wrote in a post on X that Trump openly described the interception of Iranian ships as 'acting like pirates.' 'The President of the United States has openly described the unlawful seizure of Iranian vessels as "piracy," brazenly boasting that "we act like pirates,"' the spokesperson said.

'This was no verbal slip. It was a direct and damning admission of the criminal nature of their actions against international maritime navigation. The international community, UN Member States, and the UN Secretary-General must firmly reject any normalization of such blatant violations of international law.'

The comments come amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, particularly in the strategic Persian Gulf, a key global energy corridor. Disputes over enforcement of US-imposed blockade, shipping security, and military presence in the region have fueled fears of confrontation and disruptions to maritime traffic.