Tensions in the Gulf region escalated further on Wednesday after Iran threatened to block maritime trade routes across the Red Sea, the Gulf and the Sea of Oman in response to a US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
In a statement broadcast by Iranian state television, senior military commander Ali Abdollahi warned that continued US restrictions on Iranian maritime activity would trigger countermeasures targeting key international shipping lanes.
He said any disruption to Iranian commercial vessels and oil tankers would be considered a serious escalation and a violation of the ceasefire framework.
“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not allow any exports or imports to continue in the Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea,” Abdollahi stated.
The warning came after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had fully halted maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports, claiming enforcement of a naval blockade covering vessels from all countries operating in the region.
According to CENTCOM, the blockade began earlier this week along a maritime corridor stretching between Gwadar Bay and Ras al Hadd, affecting a heavily used global shipping route. The US side also claimed that several vessels were instructed to turn back during the first 24 hours of enforcement.
Reports indicated that despite the restrictions, commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continued, although some vessels reportedly reversed course after entering the Gulf of Oman, which connects the strait to the Arabian Sea.
Shipping data suggested that around 15 vessels transited the strategic waterway within a 24-hour period, with a number entering while others exited.
The latest developments have raised concerns over potential disruption to global energy supplies and maritime trade routes in one of the world’s most critical chokepoints.
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