Iran Says It Will Take Unprecedented Military Action if US Keeps Strait of Hormuz ‘Counter-Blockade’

Iran said it would launch a military response if the US continues what Tehran described as a counter-blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

A senior Iranian government official said on April 29 that Tehran would take substantive and unprecedented military action if Washington maintains the measure, Iran’s state-run Press TV reported. “The Iranian military’s patience has limits, and it believes a strong response is needed if the US keeps up its illegal maritime blockade near the Strait of Hormuz,” the official said.

The official described the US counter-blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as “maritime piracy in essence.” It would affect all countries, including Iran. Even so, Tehran can withstand economic pressure far better than the US, the official said, citing its decades of experience in evading sanctions.

The official added that the Iranian military’s restraint so far was meant to leave room for a diplomatic solution. A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would ultimately inflict greater damage on the US than on Iran. The Iranian military has concluded that a firm response is needed to completely neutralize Washington’s remaining options, the official said.