‘Will Sink You’, Tehran Warns U.S Navy If It Continues Naval Blockade Around Iranian Ports

Mohsen Rezaei, military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said that Iran would not sit idle and allow the U.S blockade on its ports to continue.

Washington reimposed the blockade last month after the ceasefire collapsed due to a resumption in attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S Central Command has directed almost 144 ships away from Iranian ports, disabled two and also boarded two vessels.

Rezai spoke in an interview with local media, where he also said that Iran would not allow the use of any route through the Strait of Hormuz other than the one the Islamic Republic approves.

If the Strait is to open, ships would need to transit through the route along the coast of Iran.

He also blamed the U.S for violating the Memorandum of Understanding and resuming attacks without taking the issues to the dispute resolution committee.

U.S resumed attacks on Iranian sites and other infrastructure in July after Iran attacked ships crossing Hormuz through the route running along the coast of Oman, which was also authorised by U.S forces.

Rezai added that the U.S did not fulfil the conditions agreed upon in the June memorandum, nor has it kept the promise of returning Iranian funds, nor said that it is not at war with Iran.

The confusion has led to insecurity in the region, especially the Strait of Hormuz. He said that if allowed, Iran would assist in global trade through its arrangements, which he said would be even better than the ones before.

He added that once the U.S. began to fulfil its obligations, which it had shortly begun to implement for a few days as the first step, Iran would view it as a change in behaviour and this would build trust between both countries.

Rezai said that Iranian forces would target any and every warship which would attempt to enforce an alternative maritime corridor through Hormuz.

He also warned that U.S naval assets and regional bases could come under attack if the U.S continues to block Iranian ports and harbours.

The statement came as U.S President Donald Trump said that the upcoming U.S-Iran negoiations are the Islamic Republic’s ‘last chance’ to avoid further military escalation.