The commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Command has warned the U.S. against deploying forces to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, saying any such move would be met with force.
Major General Ali Abdollahi issued a strong warning following comments by Donald Trump about a U.S. naval escort plan in the strategic waterway.
“We warn that any foreign armed force, especially the invading U.S. Army, will be attacked if they intend to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz,” the general said in a strongly worded statement on Monday.
He added that all commercial ships and tankers should refrain from transiting the strait without coordination with Iranian armed forces stationed in the area, warning that failure to do so could jeopardise their security.
“We have repeatedly stated that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is in the hands of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In any situation, any safe passage and navigation will be carried out in coordination with the (Iranian) Armed Forces.”
The warning followed Mr Trump’s announcement that the U.S. Navy would begin operations from Monday to assist vessels stranded in the vital shipping route linking the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.
Iran’s statement emphasised that Tehran would “maintain and manage” the security of the strait with full capability, underscoring its control over the waterway.
The escalation comes amid ongoing diplomatic exchanges between Tehran and Washington. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran had received a U.S. counter-proposal to its 14-point plan via mediator Pakistan and that it was under review.
Speaking to state broadcaster IRIB on Sunday, he said Iran’s earlier proposal to Washington - sent in response to a U.S. nine-point plan - did not address the nuclear issue.
While Tehran has not disclosed details of its proposal, semi-official news agencies Tasnim and Fars, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that it focused on “ending the war” rather than extending a ceasefire. The plan reportedly proposed a 30-day timeframe instead of the two months suggested by the U.S.
In a separate development, the IRGC Intelligence Organisation said on the social media platform X that the United States faced a limited choice between an “impossible military operation” and a “bad deal.”
“Iran sets Pentagon a blockade deadline. China, Russia, Europe shift tone against Washington. Trump's passive letter to Congress. Acceptance of Iran's negotiating terms,” the post read.
“There is only one way to read this: Trump must choose between ‘an impossible military operation or a bad deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran’. The room for U.S. decision-making has narrowed.”
Aliakbar Velayati, a senior aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader, also warned the U.S. president against what he described as reckless rhetoric.
“Trump's foolery and antic behavior cannot overshadow the prevailing geopolitical situations. Withdrawal of the U.S. troops from Germany, weakening NATO and repeated technical problems in the U.S. warships are signs of dashing the illusion of the White House,” he wrote on X.
The former foreign minister said the U.S. president underestimated the strategic and economic importance of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Trump has recently threatened Iran with famine, despite the fact that the world food security and chain supply of chemical fertiliser is under the control of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and this shows Trump's unawareness of the world economic and political situation.”
“Mr. Trump! world of politics is not domain of movies like Jack Sparrow. Whoever who plays with the world lifeline, will put himself in stalemate!,” Velayati added.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit two Yandex data centres in Russia on consecutive days, disrupting digital services as Kyiv intensifies attacks on ...
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating ...
Uzbekistan has unveiled plans to deepen economic ties with Central Asia and Azerbaijan, proposing shared artificial intelligence infrastructure, a ...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
The Saudi-led coalition says it has carried out a series of military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen after attacks on two Saudi airports left three people dead and dozens injured.
Azerbaijan and the five Central Asian states have signed two key documents at the 8th Consultative Meeting of Heads of State in Turkmenbashi, formalising a broader framework for regional cooperation in transport, trade, energy, digitalisation and security.
It started with classrooms. Too many students, not enough teachers, deteriorating buildings and growing anxiety over what comes after high school. But within weeks, a movement that began outside French lycées had spread across the country.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
The leader of Yemen's Saudi-backed government announced the beginning of a major military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday, aimed at seizing the territory under their control.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Governments from the Persian Gulf to the Horn of Africa are hedging against a conflict they cannot control, with contingency plans beginning to reshape trade routes, alliances and the regional map.
A supertanker which was cruising through the Strait of Hormuz was targetted by an unknown projectile off the coast of Oman, according to an Iranian news agency which said the vessel was “violating” navigation rules at the Strait of Hormuz on 1 October.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking to foment internal divisions in Iran after failing to defeat the country militarily, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment