Iran has issued a warning of forthcoming “practical and unprecedented military action” in response to the ongoing US naval blockade against the country. The Iranian armed forces stress that their patience has limits and emphasize the necessity of a “punishing response” if the United States persists with its “illegal” actions in the Strait of Hormuz. A high-ranking security source highlighted that if the US does not change its stance and Iran’s conditions are disregarded, a different form of retaliation to the naval blockade can be expected.
In another development, Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, condemned the US seizures of Iranian ships in international waters as “illegal coercion and interference in legal trade.” Iravani characterized these actions as “maritime piracy” in a letter addressed to the UN and Security Council. The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, openly admitted to the US seizures of two vessels, M T Majestic and M T Tiffany, along with the confiscation of 3.8 million barrels of Iranian oil they were carrying.
Following unsuccessful post-ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, the United States imposed an anti-Iran blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. The ceasefire had been initiated on April 8 after a 40-day conflict that began with joint US and Israeli attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, resulting in casualties including Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians. In response, Iran launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US bases in the Middle East while tightening control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
