Iran warns US against interference in Strait of Hormuz: state media 

Tehran (Web Desk): Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has issued a strong warning stating that any attempt by the United States to intervene in security affairs or engage in destabilising actions in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and decisive response from the country’s armed forces.

In a statement released on Thursday, the military headquarters stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is not, as it put it, a venue for American provocation but rather an inseparable sovereign maritime zone of Iran. It added that ensuring safety and stability in this critically important shipping lane remains a strict red line for Iran’s military establishment.

The statement further instructed that all commercial vessels and oil tankers must strictly adhere to the sea routes designated by Iran while passing through the Strait. It cautioned that any failure to comply with these instructions, including deviation from approved navigation paths or ignoring Iranian maritime protocols, would result in swift retaliatory action from the armed forces, placing offending ships at risk.

It also reiterated that any form of interference by the United States in the region’s security environment or any disruptive move within the Strait would be interpreted as a breach of Iran’s sovereignty and would trigger a rapid and forceful response.

According to the statement, the continued deployment of US manned and unmanned aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz has already weakened maritime security and posed a threat to stability across the wider region.

Iran concluded by stating that in defence of its sovereign rights over the waterway, it would not hesitate to take all necessary measures to counter any act of aggression or incursion by US forces or their allies.