Radio recording shows US military urging vessels to leave Iranian ports
London, July 14
The US military on Tuesday advised neutral vessels to immediately depart Iranian ports or discontinue transit to Iran, according to VHF radio recordings obtained exclusively by Xinhua.
A crew member aboard a merchant vessel in waters near the Strait of Hormuz provided Xinhua with recordings from the public maritime radio channel, which showed the US military broadcasting a message to nearby vessels.
"All neutral vessels are advised to immediately depart Iranian ports and discontinue transit if Iran is your next port of call," the message said.
The US military also said that, following the commencement of the blockade, the measure would apply to all vessels regardless of flag or cargo.
Vessels transiting to or from an Iranian port may be subject to interdiction and seizure, according to the recording, Xinhua news agency reported.
Permission for humanitarian cargo exemptions must be requested through the US military, the message said, adding that vessels failing to comply with the blockade would face force.
The US-led Joint Maritime Information Centre said on Monday that the US Central Command would begin enforcing a maritime blockade targeting all Iranian ports and Iran's entire coastal area from 20:00 UTC on Tuesday.
In another radio message obtained by Xinhua, the US military said that although Iran had declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, US forces were prepared to maintain freedom of navigation and safeguard lawful commerce.
"A southern route of the Strait remains open," the message said.
Following the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), commercial vessels have mainly used two routes in the Strait of Hormuz: a northern route controlled by Iran and a southern route close to Omani waters, where the US military provides navigation assistance.
Earlier in the day, the US Central Command said on X that it completed a five-hour wave of strikes against Iran, targeting military facilities in Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas.
— IANS
Reader Comments
At what point does "freedom of navigation" become invasion? The US is acting like a global nanny, dictating who can trade with whom. I'm not pro-Iran, but this blockade feels like a dangerous escalation. Indian vessels need to be careful – our sailors' lives matter.
Look, Iran is no saint, but the US unilaterally imposing a blockade without UN mandate sets a bad precedent. What if tomorrow it's India in the crosshairs? We need a multipolar world where such strong-arming isn't the norm. The humanitarian exemption clause is a joke – it's a loophole for control.
Strait of Hormuz is the jugular of global energy. If the US successfully blocks Iran, oil prices will shoot up and directly hurt Indian consumers. Meanwhile, our government should be doing backchannel diplomacy – neither side should pressure us into choosing. Stay safe, Indian sailors! 🇮🇳⚓
The US strikes on Bushehr and Bandar Abbas are deeply concerning. Civilian infrastructure will inevitably suffer. India has strong ties with both the US and Iran – we should be pushing for de-escalation, not watching from the sidelines. War in the Gulf means instability for the entire region.
I understand the US wants to contain Iran, but this blockade is essentially an act of war. The fact that they're broadcasting on maritime channels suggests they want to avoid civilian casualties, but the threat of force is real. For India, this means diversifying oil sources and building strategic reserves. Not a good time for complacency.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.