Iranian authorities have announced that they will not allow vessels from countries that join US sanctions against the Islamic Republic to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Telegram channel BRIEF MIR, Iranian military spokesman Mohammad Akraminia made the announcement.

"From now on, countries that follow the US example and impose sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran will certainly face difficulties in passing through the Strait of Hormuz," — the channel quotes Akraminia as saying.

This statement comes amid ongoing tensions in the region. Iran previously declared itself the "world's fourth superpower," officially asserting full control over the Strait of Hormuz. In response to US attacks on Iranian oil tankers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened to launch "heavy and decisive strikes" against American bases and warships. According to US Central Command, several tankers were damaged, and a major oil spill occurred in the Persian Gulf.

The United States, for its part, claims it will maintain a blockade of Iranian ports and prevent Iran from controlling the strait. However, as The Financial Times reports, Iran maintains control of the strategically important waterway thanks to the IRGC's "mosquito fleet" tactics—hundreds of speedboats hidden in bays and caves along the coast.