Iran could halt trade through the Red Sea, as well as the Persian and Oman Gulfs, if the United States continues its naval blockade, according to Ali Abdullahi, the head of the Central Command of the Iranian Armed Forces. Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing The Times of Israel, that Abdullahi warned such actions would lead to a direct violation of the current ceasefire agreement.
Abdullahi emphasized that if the U.S. maintains the blockade and creates threats to Iranian commercial vessels and oil tankers, the Islamic Republic's armed forces will not allow exports or imports to continue through these strategic waterways. "The powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not permit the continuation of exports or imports through the Persian and Oman Gulfs and the Red Sea," he stated. International observers note that a potential blockade of the Red Sea would likely involve the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen.
The current tensions follow a significant military escalation that began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against Iran, conducting airstrikes on several cities. These strikes resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran launched missile strikes on Israeli territory and attacked U.S. military bases in Persian Gulf countries. While a two-week ceasefire was agreed upon on April 8, 2026, subsequent negotiations mediated by Pakistan in Islamabad ended without a permanent resolution. US President Donald Trump previously announced that the U.S. began blocking Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13 at 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time (18:00 Baku time).
