Amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran issues sweeping maritime warning
Iran's military has issued a stark warning that any attack on Iranian ports would render all ports across the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman insecure, according to state-affiliated Press TV, the Islamic Republic's English-language state broadcaster.
Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, declared on Monday that maritime security in the region is a collective matter — one that must apply to all parties or to none. Speaking in a statement cited by state-affiliated Press TV, Zolfaqari said the Iranian Armed Forces regard the defense of national rights, including full sovereignty over territorial waters, as a lawful and natural obligation.
The senior military official also announced that Iran intends to establish a permanent mechanism to control the Strait of Hormuz even after the current crisis is resolved — a significant escalation in Tehran's long-term strategic posture. He further described what he called US restrictions on maritime transit in international waters as illegal and tantamount to piracy.
"Enemy-affiliated vessels do not and will not have the right to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," Zolfaqari stated, as quoted by state-affiliated Press TV, adding that other vessels may transit the strait in compliance with regulations set by the Iranian Armed Forces.
The warning came in direct response to a statement by US President Donald Trump, who announced on Sunday that the US Navy would enforce a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, with the measure set to take effect Monday at 14:00 GMT. Iran's Navy commander, as reported by state-affiliated Press TV, dismissed Trump's announcement as "very ridiculous and laughable," stating that Iranian forces are closely monitoring every movement of the US fleet in the region.
According to state-affiliated Press TV, Iran has maintained restrictions on Hormuz passage since the start of the US-Israeli military campaign on February 28, allowing vessels from friendly nations to pass while barring ships linked to what Tehran designates as aggressor states and their supporters. The Iranian parliament has also advanced draft legislation to impose transit fees — payable in national currency — and to formally ban US and Israeli vessels from the strait.