Iran has warned that it will “immediately” close the Strait of Hormuz to all maritime traffic if it comes under further attack, following a new round of military strikes, reports Iran’s state-run Press TV.
Citing an unnamed source, Press TV reported that Tehran would retaliate against any new US strikes by targeting twice as many sites as those hit by Washington.
Iran launched attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the United States to carry out strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets, according to CENTCOM.
Iran subsequently launched attacks against US-aligned targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, further widening the regional crisis.
Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran in June was, in his view, effectively “over,” although he indicated negotiations could continue.
Press TV said recent events had strengthened Tehran’s determination to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz and reject any alternative shipping arrangements backed by the US and its regional partners.
“Developments over the past 48 hours have solidified Tehran’s resolve, with a new military and strategic doctrine now in place,” the broadcaster reported.
The network also reiterated Iran’s position that the memorandum of understanding recognised Tehran’s authority to reopen and regulate the Strait of Hormuz according to its own arrangements.
“The memorandum of understanding signed on this matter clearly states that Iran will reopen the strait in accordance with its own arrangements. Therefore, Iran will not permit the establishment of any new route outside the framework of its own arrangements,” the report said.
The dispute over the future management of the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the central obstacles in US-Iran negotiations, with Tehran maintaining that all commercial traffic passing through the waterway must coordinate with Iranian authorities, while Washington maintains that international shipping should be free to transit without Iranian approval.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, carrying over a fifth of the globe’s total oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
In a direct message to Trump, Press TV warned that further military action could end both negotiations and freedom of navigation through the waterway.
“Trump will gain nothing from these recent threats,” the broadcaster said. “But he will certainly lose both the Strait of Hormuz and the negotiations over a final agreement. The choice is now his.”
