US Plan to Blockade Hormuz Considered Piracy by Irans Military

US Announces Naval Blockade of Iranian Ports in International Waters

The US military has announced plans to impose a naval blockade on all Iranian ports in international waters, effective Monday at 14:00 GMT. The move comes after talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan collapsed over the weekend.

Iranian officials have stated that the proposed blockade would be illegal and constitute piracy. According to an Iranian army statement, if the security of its ports in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea is threatened, no port in the region will be safe.

The US has announced plans to enforce a blockade on all vessels entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including those transiting the Strait of Hormuz. However, it will not impede vessels carrying goods to non-Iranian ports.

Iran has allowed only a few vessels serving friendly countries such as China to pass through the strait since the start of the war. The planned blockade is expected to impact global oil and gas shipments.

The US President has stated that his goal is to clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines and reopen it to all shipping, but Iran must not be allowed to profit from controlling the waterway. China has criticized the US plan, urging both countries to avoid reigniting the war.

Some NATO allies have also expressed concerns about the planned blockade, with Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles stating that it “makes no sense”. The UK Prime Minister has announced that Britain will not join the US blockade, saying that the country is not getting dragged into the conflict.

Source: Al Jazeera