A senior Iranian official has said the United States should not be allowed to exit regional crises without paying reparations.

Axar.az reports, citing PressTV, Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Iran’s Expediency Council and former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said that Washington is attempting to “stage a flamboyant gesture and then exit the scene” in relation to ongoing developments around the strategic waterway.

“We will not allow such schemes to materialize,” Rezaei said, adding that Iran expects “tangible benefits” from indirect talks with the United States and will continue to pursue what he described as its “rights and reparations.”

He said Iran has endured decades of confrontation with Washington and would continue on a path of “resistance,” even if U.S. forces were to withdraw from the region.

Rezaei also called for a regional security framework independent of external powers, arguing that countries such as Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia should take responsibility for collective security.

“We can ensure our own security. We want to establish a regional security council,” he said.

His comments come amid heightened regional tensions following recent military exchanges and ongoing diplomatic efforts involving indirect negotiations over security arrangements in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.