Iran warns on Hormuz transit rules amid US tensions

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz must strictly follow routes designated by Tehran and operate under full Iranian coordination.

Speaking in a live televised interview on Friday, Baghaei reiterated that any continued “maritime blockade” by the United States would be met with a decisive reciprocal response, News.Az reports, citing Iran’s English-language Press TV.

“The naval blockade by the United States is considered a violation of the ceasefire, and Iran will take the necessary reciprocal actions,” he said.

Baghaei added that if Washington chose “to act in bad faith — as they seemingly intend to do — and should the naval blockade persist, the Islamic Republic of Iran will undoubtedly take reciprocal actions.”

“Iran is the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz” and will show “no leniency” in defending its rights, he added.

The spokesperson also urged the public to ignore what he described as “media games” and contradictory statements by US President Donald Trump.

Baghaei was referring to a series of posts on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, which he said signalled potential US backtracking on agreements negotiated with Tehran.

Contrary to the US president’s claims, the reopening of the strait is explicitly tied to the cessation of what Tehran has described as Israeli aggression in Lebanon.

Tehran had previously closed the vital chokepoint to adversaries and their allies as a strategic measure during 40 days of what it described as illegal US-Israeli aggression that began on February 28.

Baghaei said the decision to partially reopen the strategic waterway formed part of agreements reached on April 8.

In response to Trump’s remarks, Iran’s presidential office said the “conditional and limited” reopening of the waterway was an Iranian initiative aimed at assigning responsibility and testing Washington’s commitment to its obligations.

Mehdi Tabatabaei, Deputy for Communications and Information at the Presidential Office, said Trump’s statements were intended to downplay Iran’s recent gains against what he described as US and Israeli aggression.

News.Az