Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz Transit, Warns Ports Unsafe

Iran’s military warned it will bar vessels linked to hostile powers from transiting the Strait of Hormuz and said regional ports would not remain secure if Tehran’s Persian Gulf ports were threatened. The statement followed U.S. officials’ announcement of a naval blockade on Iranian ports and plans to deploy naval assets to restrict vessel movements.

An Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson described the U.S. strategy as a “permanent mechanism” for destabilization and called the blockade a form of modern-day “piracy,” characterizing the restrictions as illegal under international law.

The statement asserted the Strait is under Iran’s “full sovereign control” and added that ships identified as affiliated with enemy states or with entities supporting the blockade would be denied transit. The Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian Navy were cited as prepared to carry out “restrictive measures” to defend economic and territorial interests.

U.S. Central Command said it intended to intercept ships entering or leaving Iranian coastal areas as part of efforts to pressure Tehran. Iranian officials framed those actions as an escalation that would prompt reciprocal limits on navigation in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean and handles a large share of the region’s oil and cargo shipments. Disruption there can affect commercial shipping and energy markets.

Iran also stated it would not block lawful trade in international waters but would prevent traffic connected to parties enforcing the blockade. Officials emphasized they remain committed to legitimate international trade while opposing the U.S. restrictions.

The exchange of warnings increases the prospect of close encounters at sea between Iranian forces and U.S. or allied vessels operating near Iranian waters. Both sides have previously carried out freedom-of-navigation operations and maritime interdictions in the region.

Washington has used naval deployments and sanctions to pressure Iran over its nuclear program and regional activities. Tehran has responded in the past with military demonstrations, restrictions on foreign vessels near its coast and threats to curtail access to shipping routes when under pressure.