'No port in Gulf safe': Iran warns after US blockade
What's the story
Iran has warned that "no port in the Gulf and the Sea of Oman will be safe" after the United States imposed a blockade on all traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued this warning, saying "the security of ports in the Gulf and...Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for no one." It stated that the exercise of sovereignty over Iran's territorial waters is a natural right.
IRGC
'US blockade amounts to piracy'
It further stated that "enemy-affiliated vessels" will be refused entry through the Strait of Hormuz, while other ships may transit under Tehran's regulations. It also said Iran "will firmly implement a permanent mechanism for controlling the Strait of Hormuz" even after the war. "The restrictions imposed by the criminal United States on maritime movement in international waters are illegal and amount to piracy," the statement added.
Blockade details
US imposes blockade on Iranian ports
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it will begin implementing a blockade by 1400GMT on Monday. This blockade will be enforced against vessels of all nations entering or leaving these ports. However, ships traveling between non-Iranian ports will still be allowed passage through the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump has also warned any vessel paying tolls to Iran would not have safe passage and threatened retaliation against any attacks on American forces or peaceful vessels.
Accusations
Iran calls US maritime restrictions 'illegal'
The US move came after the two sides held direct talks in Islamabad on Saturday to terminate the crisis, which began on February 28 following a joint US-Israeli strike on Tehran. The talks ended without reaching an agreement. "The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that's bad news for Iran much more than it's bad news for the United States of America," JD Vance, the head of the US delegation, told reporters.