Iran has said it has no immediate plans to close the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz despite the ongoing conflict with the US-Israel alliance, even as a senior Iranian diplomat held a brief meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on Friday.Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh clarified that Tehran had “not shut the Strait and would announce any such move”, adding that Iran currently has no plans to block the critical maritime route.He said this amid growing international concern that Tehran could block the narrow waterway through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes.Speaking to mediapersons later, Khatibzadeh confirmed that he had held a brief interaction with Jaishankar and other Indian officials during the dialogue.“Yes, I had a brief meeting with the Foreign Minister of India and a brief encounter with others,” he said, adding that discussions centred on the importance of upholding international law.“What is important is that everybody is supporting international law, and we hope that we are not cherry-picking international law. Unfortunately, principles of international law have been attacked and we have to stand together against these atrocities,” he said.Khatibzadeh accused the US and Israel of launching aggression against Iran and said the country was determined to resist.“My fellow citizens are under constant attack by bombing carried out by Americans and Israelis. Tehran is under constant attack, and we have no option but to resist,” he said.Describing the situation as a “very heroic and nationalistic battle”, the Iranian diplomat said Tehran would continue to resist “to the last bullet and the last soldier”.He also criticised US President Donald Trump for seeking leadership change in Iran. “President Trump is asking for a leadership change in Iran while he cannot even appoint the Mayor of New York. Can you imagine this colonial approach?” Khatibzadeh said.The Iranian minister further alleged that the conflict was driven by “power politics” and what he described as the “delusion of a Greater Israel”.Responding to questions on the reported sinking of an Iranian warship that had earlier taken part in an international naval exercise in India, Khatibzadeh termed the incident “very sad and unfortunate”.“That vessel was by invitation of our Indian friends attending an international exercise. It was ceremonial, unloaded and unarmed,” he said, adding that several Iranian sailors had lost their lives. He also emphasised the long-standing cultural ties between the two countries. “Iran and India have civilisational roots with each other. We are Indo-Persian culture and civilisation, and we attach great importance to Iran-India relations,” he said.The remarks came as tensions in West Asia remain high amid escalating hostilities between Iran and the US-Israel alliance, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and possible disruptions to global energy supplies.