Iran threatens blockade of ports in Persian and Oman Gulfs
No port in the Persian and Oman Gulfs will be safe if Iran's ports are endangered, stated Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the official representative of the central headquarters of Iran's military command "Khatam al-Anbiya."
"The actions of the criminal United States to restrict the movement of ships in international waters are illegal and, in essence, piratical. The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran clearly and unequivocally state that the security of ports in the Persian and Oman Gulfs is either for everyone or for no one," reads the statement broadcast by Iran's state television and radio company.
Zolfaghari noted that due to the ongoing threats to the Iranian people and Iran's security from the United States, the Islamic Republic will introduce a regime of permanent control over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, vessels from countries hostile to Iran are not allowed to pass through the strait.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the start of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on the social network Truth Social, he stated that the U.S. Navy "will immediately begin the process of blocking any ships attempting to enter or leave the strait" and also threatened a harsh response in the event of attacks from Iran.
On February 28, the United States and Israel began striking targets on Iranian territory, including Tehran, with reports of destruction and civilian casualties. Iran carried out retaliatory strikes on Israeli territory, as well as on U.S. military facilities in the Middle East region. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the night of Wednesday, April 8, that an agreement had been reached with Iran to cease fire for two weeks.
Source: RIA Novosti
