The US military has issued a directive for neutral vessels near Iranian ports to depart promptly or avoid heading to Iran, as revealed by VHF radio recordings obtained by Xinhua. A crew member on a merchant ship in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz shared recordings from the public maritime radio channel, showing the US military broadcasting a message to nearby vessels.
According to the message, “All neutral vessels are advised to immediately depart Iranian ports and discontinue transit if Iran is your next port of call.” The US military emphasized that this directive would apply to all vessels, irrespective of their flag or cargo, once the blockade is in effect. Vessels traveling to or from an Iranian port could face interdiction and seizure, as per the radio recording reported by Xinhua news agency.
The US military also stated that humanitarian cargo exemptions would require approval from the US military, warning that vessels failing to comply with the blockade would encounter force. The US-led Joint Maritime Information Centre announced that the US Central Command would start enforcing a maritime blockade targeting all Iranian ports and the entire coastal area of Iran from 20:00 UTC on Tuesday.
In a separate radio message obtained by Xinhua, the US military assured that despite Iran’s closure declaration of the Strait of Hormuz, US forces were ready to uphold freedom of navigation and protect lawful commerce. The message highlighted that a southern route through the Strait remained accessible, with the US military offering navigation support in waters near Oman.
Following the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), commercial vessels typically use two routes in the Strait of Hormuz: a northern route controlled by Iran and a southern route near Omani waters, where the US military provides navigation assistance. Earlier, the US Central Command confirmed conducting a series of strikes against Iran, targeting military facilities in Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas.
