File image.
Iran warned on April 15 that it could block marine traffic in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea if the United States blockade of its ports continues.
The semi-official Mehr News Agency quoted Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, a commander with Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, as saying in a statement that the Islamic Republic could blockade the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea if the American blockade goes on and “creates insecurity for Iranian commercial ships and oil tankers.”
“If the aggressive and terrorist America continues its unlawful actions of maritime blockade in the region and creates insecurity for Iranian commercial ships and oil tankers, this action will be considered a prelude to violating the ceasefire, and the powerful Armed Forces of Iran will not allow any kind of export and import to continue in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea,” the commander said
“Iran will act with full force to defend its national sovereignty and interests,” he added.
Iran can already blockade the Sea of Oman from its mainland, and could work with the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen to blockade Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and by extension the Indian Ocean.
The U.S. blockade on Iran, which came into effect on April 13, is being “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” according to the Central Command.
U.S. “forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports,” the command said a day before the start of the blockade.
Despite the escalation, Reuters reported that Iran could consider allowing ships to sail freely through the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz without risk of attack as part of proposals it has offered in negotiations with the U.S., providing a deal is clinched to prevent renewed war.
A source close to Iran told the news agency that the Islamic Republic may be willing to let ships use the other side of the narrow strait in Omani waters.
Currently, efforts are reportedly underway to extend the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, which is set to end in just a week.
Work on organizing a second round of talks between the two countries is also underway, with Pakistan the most likely host.
Still, the U.S. is sending more than 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East, along with a carrier strike group and amphibious assault ships.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
who is blockading whom?
true, iran can reach all the red sea and suez canal