The Iranian military has said that the US naval blockade of the Islamic Republic's ports at the Strait of Hormuz will lead to a ceasefire violation.
Earlier, on Monday, Iran had slammed the US blockade around its ports and called it a "grave violation" of its sovereignty.
"The imposition of a maritime blockade constitutes a grave violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the country's ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani wrote in his letter to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, according to a report by AFP.
Iran Threatens To Block Trade Through Red Sea
Moreover, Iran's military has also threatened to block trade through the Red Sea, along with the Gulf and Sea of Oman, if the US naval blockade continues.
Read | Sanctioned Tanker Fails To Break Through US Blockade, Turns Back To Hormuz
In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the head of Iran's military central command centre said if the US continues with its blockade and "creates insecurity for Iran's commercial vessels and oil tankers", it will constitute "a prelude" to violating the ceasefire.
"The powerful armed forces of the Islamic republic will not allow any exports or imports to continue in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea," said Ali Abdollahi.
Read | Switched Planes, Took Bus, Train: Iranian Delegation Claims Threats After Failed US Talks
Since the war in Iran started, Tehran has been shipping its oil and goods freely through the narrow waterway, while sharply curbing seaborne traffic from other nations, especially those deemed unfriendly by the Islamic Republic.
After the ceasefire talks collapsed with Iran this weekend, Trump ordered US forces to block all Iranian ports at Hormuz. The US military is now planning to track down any Iranian ship crossing the Strait and physically board it, if necessary.
The US Central Command, in a statement, said a blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented as US forces maintain maritime superiority in the Middle East.
"An estimated 90 per cent of Iran's economy is fuelled by international trade by sea. In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, US forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea."
