On Monday, October 19, the Iranian Foreign Minister announced in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart in Tehran that the naval war and the blockade against Iran are the cause of "insecurity" in the Strait of Hormuz and the Middle East region. Referring to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Abbas Arakhchi said: "The war imposed by America and Israel and the economic blockade are the main causes of insecurity in our region." In recent days, Iranian military forces have increased their attacks on commercial ships around the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, the American authorities report a continuous passage of oil shipments from the countries of the Persian Gulf, with the exception of Iran, through this waterway. At this press conference, Irachi called for America's withdrawal from the Middle East and said that Tehran welcomes any initiative that leads to "internal security and collective security of countries and collective security arrangements in the region, without the presence of foreign forces." Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who traveled to Tehran, said at this press conference that Russia wants stability in the energy market and is not interested in price fluctuations.