Iran’s military command declared this Monday (13) that it will not allow United States interference in the administration of the Strait of Hormuz, warning neighboring countries that any cooperation with Washington in the maritime route will be treated as an act of war.
“Iran will not allow the US to intervene in the administration of the Strait of Hormuz. Any attempt by the US to transit the strait without Iranian authorization will be strongly contested,” the group says. In a statement, the military command states: “To the leaders of countries in the region, any cooperation with the USA will be considered war against Iran.”
The Revolutionary Guard highlighted its “authority and control over the Strait of Hormuz” and attributed responsibilities to the Americans. “By interfering in the Strait of Hormuz, the US has seriously endangered the security of global oil and gas supplies.”
In a statement released by the Tasnim agency, the Revolutionary Guard said that Iran “will force foreign powers and their allies to bow to the will of the Iranian people.” “We will drive them to even greater humiliation and despair in their new acts of aggression,” he added.
Mohammed Mokhber, advisor to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, also mobilized. “Backing down from this vital issue has no place in the mind of any friend of Iran,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz has been closed since last Saturday after a vessel ignored warnings and turned off its identification systems. This Monday (13), however, in an interview with the Fox News network, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, said that his country would start to operate the administration of the naval route.
On social media, Trump announced the resumption of the naval blockade and said he would charge a toll equivalent to 20% on all cargo transported.
“All other countries will have free and unrestricted use of the Strait. The US will, from this moment on, be known as ‘the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz’, but as such, and as a matter of JUSTICE, will be reimbursed 20% of all cargo transported, for all costs necessary to ensure the security of this very unstable region of the world,” declared Trump.
With the effective end of the memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iran last month, the last few days have seen escalating tension. The United States says it has struck 140 military targets in the past 24 hours.
Following Trump’s threat, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), coordinated by the US Navy, said it will block ports on Iran’s southern coast, including ports and oil terminals.
President Luiz Inácio da Silva (PT) also spoke on the topic, who, this Monday (13), at an event in São Caetano do Sul (SP), compared Washington’s decision to a crime.
“There’s a tweet from him [Donald Trump] saying he will clear the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is that channel between Iran and the rest of the world, which Iran does not allow ships with oil to pass through. He made a tweet saying that he is going to clear the obstructions, that he is going to remove them from the Estreito. The owner of the oil has to pay 20% to him. This, in the past, was called piracy”, stated Lula.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
