Iran President Slams US Naval Blockade as "Extension of Military Operations"

In a post on X on Thursday, Pezeshkian said, "The world has witnessed Iran's tolerance and conciliation. What is being done under the guise of a naval blockade is an extension of military operations against a nation paying the price for its resistance and independence."

He added, "Continuation of this oppressive approach is intolerable."

Meanwhile, US CENTCOM (Central Command) on Thursday (local time) claimed that till now, "44 commercial vessels have been directed to turn around or return to port", as a result of the naval blockade operations against Iran.

In a post on X, CENTCOM said," US Marines aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) stand watch in the Arabian Sea during naval blockade operations against Iran. As of today, 44 commercial vessels have been directed to turn around or return to port."

Iran's Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf, on Thursday said that Tehran will ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and end what he described as US "presence and interference" by exercising control over the Strait of Hormuz amid geopolitical tensions due to the Islamic Republic's recent confrontation with Washington and the power struggle between the two sides over the virtual control of the strategic waterway.

In a post on X, Ghalibaf referred to historical events, stating that Iranian forces expelled European colonisers from the Persian Gulf in 1622 after more than a century of occupation.

"In the year 1622 AD, after 115 years of occupation, we expelled the European colonisers from the Persian Gulf, and we celebrate Persian Gulf Day in honor of this victory. Today as well, Iran, by exercising control over the Strait of Hormuz, will ensure that it and its neighbors enjoy the precious blessing of a future free from the presence and interference of America," the post read.

According to Press TV, Iranian ruler Abbas I led forces that defeated the Portuguese on Hormuz Island, ending a two-decade conflict and bringing a close to roughly a century of foreign control over the Persian Gulf.

Separately, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei also underscored the historical significance of the Persian Gulf, calling it an enduring identity marker that cannot be altered by political disputes or media narratives.

"A day to recall a truth that neither changes with media clamour nor fades with political games," Baqaei said in a post on X, adding that regional stability and security depend on respect for historical and geographical realities.

He further stated that "identity cannot be usurped" and reiterated that the name "Persian Gulf" is deeply rooted in history and will remain unchanged.

"In today's tense times in the region, the stability and security of this body of water only gain meaning through respect for the will of the Iranian nation and acceptance of clear historical and geographical realities. Identity cannot be usurped. Names cannot be erased from the world's memory. The Persian Gulf, a name as old as history, will forever remain the Persian Gulf," Baqaei stated in his post.

- ANI