Iran denies US warships crossed Strait of Hormuz, warns vessels 'will be dealt with severely'
WASHINGTON, DC: As peace talks between the US and Iran continue in Pakistan following a fragile two-week ceasefire announced on Tuesday, April 7, Tehran has denied claims that US warships crossed the Strait of Hormuz.
The two-week ceasefire, announced after more than a month of intense military confrontation between the two countries, largely hinges on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran denies US warships entered Hormuz Strait
Rejecting claims that two US warships entered the Strait of Hormuz to clear mines, Tehran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps denied that any US vessels crossed the strategic waterway.
Quoting Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that he denied “the claim by CENTCOM commander Adm Brad Cooper regarding the approach and entry of US naval vessels into the Strait of Hormuz.”
“The initiative in the transit and passage of any vessel lies in the hands of the armed forces,” said Zolfaghari.
Iran halts US destroyer near Hormuz
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on Saturday, April 11, reportedly referred to “cases of ceasefire violations,” which were prevented after immediate diplomatic steps and a firm warning from Iranian armed forces.
Baqaei referred to the movement of an American destroyer from the Port of Fujairah toward the Strait of Hormuz as one such case, which was immediately halted following a military response.
Local Iranian reports suggest that the armed forces tracked the vessel’s position and relayed the situation to the Iranian negotiating delegation in Pakistan.
Along with conveying the concerns to the American side, the Iranian armed forces also issued a warning against any such attempts.
Iran reportedly informed Pakistani mediators that “if the ship continues its movement, it will be targeted within 30 minutes, and the Iran-US negotiations will be harmed.”
IRGC warns against military entry in Hormuz
Later, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a firm warning of immediate retaliation if military vessels attempt to enter the Strait of Hormuz, saying they “will be dealt with severely.”
In a statement carried by the news outlet, the force said it has full authority to manage the Strait of Hormuz and that only civilian vessels would be allowed to transit under specific conditions.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical trade waterway through which around 20 per cent of the world’s oil is shipped, has effectively been blocked since the conflict between joint forces and Iran began.
