Iran has warned it may shut down key maritime trade routes if a United States naval blockade on its ports continues, raising tensions after diplomatic talks collapsed.
In a statement aired on state television, Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s military central command centre, said any blockade affecting Iranian commercial shipping would be viewed as a breach of the ceasefire.
He stated that Iran’s armed forces would not allow exports or imports to continue across the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea, adding that the country would act firmly to protect its sovereignty and national interests if pressure on its vessels persists.
The warning comes after the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports earlier this week, following unsuccessful talks between Washington and Tehran in Pakistan aimed at ending ongoing hostilities.
Despite the blockade, tracking data indicates that some vessels departing Iran are still passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil route.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency also reported that shipping activity from southern ports has continued, with vessels heading to various international destinations in the past 24 hours—signalling a possible escalation as critical global shipping lanes become central to the dispute.
