Iran’s military advisor says US blockade ‘will fail,’ warns of confrontation if it persists
A photo of a tanker in the background as seagulls fly by. PHOTO: ANADOLU AGENCY
The Trump administration is seeking to build an international coalition to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as vessel traffic through the critical waterway remains stalled amid the ongoing US-Iran standoff, according to a report published on Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal, citing an internal State Department cable sent to US embassies, reported that Washington has asked its diplomats to press foreign governments into joining a new alliance called the “Maritime Freedom Construct,” which would coordinate information sharing, diplomatic efforts and sanctions enforcement to reopen the Strait.
“Your participation will strengthen our collective ability to restore freedom of navigation and protect the global economy,” the cable reportedly says.
Read: Trump holds talks on prolonged Iran blockade
According to the report, a senior administration official confirmed the proposal as one of the many diplomatic and policy resources at the president’s disposal.
The initiative comes weeks after President Donald Trump declared the strait “COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS,” only for ship traffic to remain largely stalled. Iran has sought to lay mines and attack tankers transiting the waterway without Tehran’s approval, while the US has enforced a blockade on all vessels heading to or from Iranian ports.
The Strait’s future has become a central sticking point in stalled peace negotiations, with Trump reportedly telling aides Monday to prepare for an extended blockade until Iran agrees to abandon its nuclear program.
US blockade ‘will fail,’ says Iran
A top military advisor to Iran’s supreme leader said on Thursday that the US blockade of Iranian ports “will fail,” warning that Tehran could choose confrontation if it persists.
In remarks aired early Thursday on state television, Mohsen Rezaei said Iran has multiple ways to bypass the blockade, stressing that efforts to impose it would not succeed.
He added that if the blockade continues, Iran may resort to confrontation to break it.
Rezaei also outlined possible scenarios in the event of another war, saying it would likely focus on southern coastal areas, extending toward Isfahan, with some activity in the west of the country.
Read more: Brent oil rises 7% on report US considering military options to break Iran deadlock
He warned that such a conflict could include bombings and assassinations in Tehran.
The US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on February 28, with Tehran retaliating with strikes on Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.
The US-Israeli bombing killed more than 3,300 people before Washington and Tehran announced a two-week ceasefire on April 8 mediated by Pakistan.
While originally scheduled to expire on April 22, US President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the truce on April 21 at the request of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.
