Iran: No vessel can safely transit Hormuz without authorization

The spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has dismissed US claims of normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, saying no vessel can safely transit the strategic waterway without authorization and supervision by Iran.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari said in a statement on Thursday that US claims regarding the normal passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz are “false and baseless,” describing them as a sign of the US military’s desperation and helplessness.

“The Strait of Hormuz remains, as in the past, under the full management and control of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Zolfaqari said, adding that no commercial vessel or oil tanker could safely pass through the waterway without authorization and supervision from Iran’s armed forces.

He said the US and its military have repeatedly experienced the “power and steadfastness” of the Iranian people and the country’s armed forces.

Zolfaqari further slammed Washington for continuously seeking to create instability and insecurity in the region, saying that unsupported US threats will only result in greater “desperation and helplessness” in the face of Iran’s military preparedness.

He added that Iran’s armed forces are closely monitoring the activities of US and Israel in the region and will respond to any threat “more forcefully and severely than before.”

The statement said Iran’s armed forces will continue to act in defense of the country’s national sovereignty and interests under the command of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

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The US has been attacking Iran since earlier in July after Washington violated the terms of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which was meant to permanently end the war that the US and Israeli regime unleashed against Iran in late February.

The understanding had recognized Iran’s rights and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and said Iran was responsible for removing restrictions that it has imposed over the Strait of Hormuz for vessels affiliated with aggressors and their supporters since the start of the aggression on February 28. However, the US attempted to undermine Iran’s sovereignty by establishing an unsafe corridor near the Omani shores.

The unlawful US measure prompted Iran’s firm response to re-impose restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran says any movement in the strategic chokepoint must be conducted under Iranian arrangements, as per the understanding.

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