Tehran: Iran has issued a stern warning to the United States, threatening retaliation if U.S. forces violate Iranian waters in the Strait of Hormuz. This follows a policy initiated by President Donald Trump, aiming to conduct rescue missions for stranded merchant ships.
According to Thai News Agency, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared in a press release that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iranian control, and any foreign forces entering the area will be attacked, with particular emphasis on U.S. military forces. The IRGC stated that U.S. actions are in violation of the ceasefire agreement. Esmail Bakkei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, reiterated Iran's role as the guardian of the Strait, emphasizing that cooperation with the Iranian government is essential for safe passage, thereby dismissing the need for compliance with U.S. actions.
Earlier today, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled Project Freedom, a military operation aimed at escorting and evacuating stranded cargo ships and oil tankers of neutral countries in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump described the initiative as a humanitarian mission to assist crews and companies from nations uninvolved in the U.S.-Israeli-Iran conflict, who have been facing shortages of essential supplies. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the deployment of guided-missile destroyers, over 100 aircraft, and 15,000 personnel to facilitate the mission, clarifying that the operation is intended as a navigational aid to ensure freedom of navigation.
Trump warned Iran against obstructing the process, indicating that the U.S. would retaliate with force if necessary. Iranian authorities, however, cautioned that any interference would breach the ceasefire agreement and refuted claims of the strait's closure, asserting that vessels unaffiliated with the U.S. or Israel could pass through upon payment of a fee.
The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reported that approximately 20,000 crew members and over 2,000 commercial vessels have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for more than nine weeks, since the conflict erupted on February 28. The IMO and related agencies have voiced serious concerns about the mental well-being of the crew and the dwindling supplies of food and water on many ships.
In a related development, the Pakistani government announced the repatriation of 22 Iranian crew members from the Iranian-flagged cargo ship MV Touska by the United States. These crew members, seized by the U.S. military last month, were returned to Iran via Pakistan, with the MV Touska set to return to Pakistani waters for its original owner to reclaim after repairs.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry described this as a confidence-building measure between the U.S. and Iran, facilitated by Pakistan's mediation efforts to ease regional tensions. This follows the repatriation of six other individuals, identified as family members of the crew, to other regional countries last week to await further repatriation.