Iran's military said on Monday morning that the US navy would be attacked if it sailed into the Strait of Hormuz.
This is according to the AFP news agency, a statement from the military, which is reported by the Iranian state media IRIB.
The message comes after US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the US would start helping stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
- We warn any foreign military - especially the aggressive US military - that it will be attacked if it tries to approach and sail into the Strait of Hormuz, Major General Ali Abdollahi of the Central Command of the Iranian military said in the statement.
- We have repeatedly said that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is under the control of the Islamic Republic of Iran's military, and in any case, safe passage must be coordinated with these forces.
US: Will contribute 100 aircraft and 15,000 troops
On Sunday, the US president did not give many details about the operation in the Strait of Hormuz, which he has dubbed "Project Freedom".
However, after Trump's announcement, the US military's Central Command, Centcom, has shared a statement stating that forces from the command will support the operation.
The statement stated, among other things, that the US military will contribute more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 troops to "Project Freedom".
Iran has blocked almost all ship traffic except its own in the Strait of Hormuz for more than two months, after the US launched a war against Iran.
This has sent energy prices soaring.
Trump calls it a humanitarian operation
According to Donald Trump, countries from all over the world have asked the United States for help in getting the ships out of the strategically important bottleneck in the Middle East.
- For the sake of Iran, the Middle East and the United States, we have told these countries that we are directing their ships safely out of these restricted waters so that they can freely and effectively continue their business, Trump wrote on Sunday.
The president calls it a humanitarian operation, as several ships are running out of food and other supplies, according to him.
Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the National Security Commission in Iran's parliament, also warned the United States on Monday night against sailing into the waters.
- Any American interference in the new maritime regime in the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the ceasefire, he wrote on X.
/ritzau/
