- The US has declared a formal blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas
- All vessels must return to port or continue transit to Iran as their next destination
- US Central Command warned vessels breaching the blockade will be boarded and seized
The United States has announced a formal blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas, an action Iran has described as illegal. All vessels have been advised to return immediately to port or to continue any planned transit to Iran as their next destination.
US Central Command has released audio recordings of its naval forces enforcing the blockade.
"Do not attempt to breach the blockade. Vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from an Iranian port. Turn around and prepare to be boarded. If you do not comply with this blockade, we will use force. The whole of the United States Navy is ready to force compliance. Out," the CENTCOM audio said.
In a separate post, CENTCOM said around 5,000 "Sailors and Marines" from the USS Strike Carrier Group Abraham Lincoln are executing operations to block ships.
"Thousands of US service members, including 5,000 Sailors and Marines from the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, are executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports. of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) conducting flight operations in the Arabian Sea," the post read.
Iran has rejected the US move outright, with its Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei saying the country is "not 'blockadable'" and warned that the blockade violates a fragile ceasefire and could trigger a proportional response from Iranian armed forces.
"Firstly, Iran is not 'blockadable'," he said. "Secondly, if you fail to reach a result through a diplomatic process, resorting to other means of pressure will certainly not lead to any result and you will not succeed. The Islamic Republic of Iran and its armed forces are carefully monitoring developments and will respond proportionally wherever necessary."
Baghaei also addressed European proposals for an international coalition, possibly under UN auspices, to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, including mine-sweeping operations.
"The security of the Strait of Hormuz has been ensured by Iran for decades. Iran has been the guardian of this waterway's security," he said. "The only reason security and safety in this waterway were disrupted during the past 40 days was the US-Zionist-imposed war."
He rejected any foreign intervention, saying any move or interference in regional affairs would only complicate the situation further. Baghaei stressed that Iran, as a coastal state and with the help of regional countries, was fully capable of providing security for the strait, provided that American aggression and interference in the region came to an end.
Maritime tracking data show that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been sharply reduced as the US blockade takes effect. The waterway normally carries about a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas, but traffic has been almost halted since US and Israeli strikes on Iran sparked the war on February 28.
