Shafaq News- Tehran

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran's armed forces central command, warned Monday that no port in the Gulf or the Sea of Oman would be safe if Iran's ports were targeted.

Ibrahim Zolfaghari, the Headquarters’ spokesperson, said Iran would not permit vessels belonging to “enemy” states to transit the Strait of Hormuz, while imposing a permanent control mechanism over the waterway for as long as threats to Iranian national security persist. He described US restrictions on maritime navigation as unlawful and “acts of maritime piracy.”

He said port security in the Gulf and the Sea of Oman was either guaranteed for all parties or for none, warning that any threat to Iranian ports in those waters would leave no port in either region safe.

Earlier Monday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it would begin enforcing a blockade on maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports effective April 13 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, citing a declaration issued by the US President.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, through which about 20% of global oil exports pass.