Shafaq News- Washington

The naval blockade on Iran remains in force, with more than 10,000 US sailors, Marines, and airmen enforcing restrictions on vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports and coastal areas, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday.

A US destroyer ordered a merchant vessel to return to an Iranian port as part of the naval blockade. CENTCOM added that 19 ships have complied with US instructions to turn back.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that no new understandings have been reached with Washington following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that previous remarks by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi fall within the framework of the ceasefire agreement.

The naval command of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that non-military vessels may transit the strait only through routes approved by Iran, while military vessels remain barred from passage. It added that maritime traffic is subject to authorization by Iranian forces and is linked to the implementation of the ceasefire in Lebanon.