Iran's military command warned on Saturday that it will target any foreign military vessels interfering in the management of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, directly challenging statements by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Washington remains in complete control of the vital oil chokepoint.
According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced that the country's armed forces are managing the waterway "with full authority." The military directive dictates that all commercial vessels, ships, and oil tankers must use designated routes and obtain prior clearance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, warning that non-compliance puts maritime security at serious risk.
Concurrently, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed Iran's claims of regional control and confirmed that the aggressive US blockade of Iranian ports, active since April 13, remains firmly in place. Hegseth explicitly warned that the US is postured and fully prepared to resume military strikes if continuing diplomatic negotiations fail to yield a permanent agreement blocking Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
"Our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe," Hegseth stated, adding that the US defense industrial base is actively accelerating its munitions manufacturing capacity.
The intense geopolitical standoff follows a major military escalation in February when coordinated US and Israeli strikes hit Iranian targets. Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes across the Gulf and effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, causing severe disruptions to global energy markets. While a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire halted active combat on April 8, subsequent negotiations have repeatedly stalled.
Despite the blockade, diplomatic backchannels remain functional. US President Donald Trump recently indicated he would evaluate a 60-day extension of the initial truce to give international negotiators additional room to broker a permanent end to the war.
