IRAN has warned the United States over its ongoing maritime blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian media reports on Monday.
Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, accused the United States of escalating regional instability and warned that any U.S. threats would be met with forceful response from Iran's armed forces.
The Iranian statement came as reports revealed that Washington continued to impose illegal maritime blockades on Iran, and over the past three days, U.S. maritime actions have threatened shipping of commercial vessels and oil tankers near Iran's coastal waters and territorial seas.
Iranian authorities said that the U.S. attempts would be treated as an expansion of regional warfare.
U.S. Central Command confirmed on the same day that U.S. naval forces had recently compelled 17 commercial vessels to alter their courses, disabled two ships, and boarded two others for inspection.
The United States resumed its maritime blockade of ships traveling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas at 16:00 Eastern Time on July 14.
Previously, from April 13 to June 18, the U.S. military had also imposed a naval blockade on Iran.
