Iran's Threat if the US Dares to Breach the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has issued its latest threat to the United States (US) amid the ongoing tensions of the unresolved Middle East conflict. Iran has threatened to attack US forces intending to enter the Strait of Hormuz, as the strait is considered territory under Tehran’s control.
Iran is known to have blockaded almost all shipments from the Gulf except its own for more than two months, causing oil prices to soar. Several ships attempting to cross the strait have reportedly been fired upon, and Iran has seized several other vessels. Last month, the US imposed its own blockade on ships from Iranian ports.
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump stated that the US would begin helping to free ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Israel war against Iran. He made this announcement after a tanker was reported to have been hit by an unknown projectile in the vital waterway.
It is unclear which countries the US operation will assist or how it will proceed. Trump provided few details about the plan to help the ships and their crews, who have been “trapped” in the Strait of Hormuz and are short of food and other supplies.
“We have informed these countries that we will guide their ships safely out of this restricted waterway so they can freely and capably continue their business,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site on Sunday (3/5) local time, as reported by AFP news agency on Monday (4/5).
According to the International Maritime Organisation, hundreds of ships and as many as 20,000 seafarers are unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israel war against Iran. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it would support the effort with 15,000 military personnel, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, warships, and drones.
“Our support for this defence mission is vital for regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, in a statement.
Iran Threatens to Attack US Forces
Iran’s military has warned that US forces will be attacked if they enter the Strait of Hormuz. This was stated on Monday (4/5), after Trump announced that Washington would begin escorting ships across the vital waterway blocked by Iran.
“We warn that any foreign armed forces – especially the aggressive US military – if they intend to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz, will become targets and be attacked,” said Major General Ali Abdollahi from Iran’s central military command, in a statement broadcast by the government broadcaster IRIB.
“We have repeatedly stated that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is under the control of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and under no circumstances should any safe passage be coordinated with those forces,” he emphasised, as reported by AFP news agency on Monday (4/5).
Macron Urges Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has set a one-month deadline to negotiate an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, end the US naval blockade, and permanently cease the war raging both in Iran and in Lebanon, the base of the Hezbollah group.
US media reports from Axios, as cited by Anadolu Agency and Middle East Monitor on Monday (4/5), indicate that the one-month deadline was proposed by Tehran in a revised 14-point proposal containing a framework agreement submitted to Washington on Thursday (30/4) last week.
Two sources informed about the document, as quoted by Axios, revealed that Iran’s proposal sets a strict one-month deadline to secure the agreement, which includes maritime access, ending the US naval blockade, and a lasting ceasefire on both fronts.
French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the US and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in a “coordinated” manner. Macron issued this call as the US military deploys a mission to escort ships out of the important waterway for global oil and gas supplies.
“What we want most is a coordinated reopening by the United States and Iran – that is the only solution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,” Macron stated during a meeting of European leaders in Armenia, as reported by AFP on Monday (4/5).
“We will not participate in any military operation within a framework that I consider unclear,” he added.
France, along with the UK, has led efforts to form a coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after peace is secured.