Iranian Army Commander asserts war is not over, promises 'heavy blow'
Tehran (ANTARA) - The Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Army, Amir Hatami, asserted on Sunday (27/9) that the war launched by the United States (US) and Israel against the nation has not yet ended, and that the “enemy” must remain prepared to receive a “heavy blow” from the Iranian armed forces.
“The war is not over… Although the aggressive enemy has suffered heavy blows, they must remain prepared to receive the next devastating blow from the Iranian armed forces,” said Hatami during a national festival in Tehran, according to the semi-official Iranian news agency, Tasnim.
He urged countries in the region to realise that cooperation with the US has failed to guarantee their security, while emphasising that regional security must be maintained from within by the nations of the region itself.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), the body responsible for maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, has warned shipowners not to be coerced by “certain charterers” into using “illegal” routes to navigate the waters.
In a post on its X social media account on Sunday morning local time, the PGSA stated, “Reports to the PGSA indicate that some charterers are forcing ships to use illegal routes. This risks causing financial losses and casualties for ships, owners, captains, and crews, and will severely limit their future navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”
“Shipowners must be vigilant against such illegal actions by certain charterers,” said the PGSA. “If proven, charterers will be placed on the Non-Compliance List, and all navigation of their ships through the Strait of Hormuz will be restricted.”
On 28 February, Israel and the US launched joint attacks against Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, as well as Israeli and US bases and assets in the region, while tightening its control over the Strait of Hormuz.
On 18 June, the US and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the termination of war in the region. Under the MoU, they were scheduled to hold negotiations within a 60-day period to reach a final agreement. That timeframe expired on 17 August. However, the fate of these negotiations remains uncertain following a series of recent escalations between the two nations.