Iran’s military command has issued a stern warning to vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, ordering them to strictly follow designated shipping lanes and cautioning that any deviation will be met with “an immediate response from the armed forces.” According to an official statement broadcast by state television in Tehran, any vessel that fails to comply with the prescribed navigation guidelines risks a direct military intervention.
Read also: New US-Iran talks scheduled for July 18 — Washington makes clear: no changes to Strait of Hormuz status
The warning from Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya command
“Any failure to comply, any deviation from the designated route, or any violation of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s maritime navigation protocols in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and powerful response from the armed forces,” the statement reads.
The warning was issued by Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command following an incident in which a vessel ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz while traveling along a route that, according to Iranian state television, had not been approved by the government.
Washington’s message to Tehran
Notably, Washington sent a clear message to Tehran upon the conclusion of technical talks between the United States and Iran, held over the past two days in Doha, Qatar.
According to well-informed sources cited by Al Arabiya and Al Hadath networks, the US made it unequivocally clear to the Iranian side that it will not accept any changes to the existing status of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran continues to insist that it holds sovereign rights over passage through the Strait and persists in levying fees for services rendered — a position firmly opposed by the United States.
It is worth recalling that the memorandum of understanding signed in June between Washington and Tehran stipulated the free passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, without restrictions or fees, for a period of 60 days.
Tehran, however, interpreted the agreement as a potential first step toward eventually assuming control over navigation management in the Strait and collecting fees for regulating maritime traffic, in cooperation with the Sultanate of Oman. Oman has already made its position clear, stating that it opposes the imposition of any fees on international shipping, arguing that such a move would violate international maritime law.
