Iran Vows Decisive Response After US Maritime Piracy in Sea of Oman
Tehran, Iran – In a blatant act of aggression and a clear violation of international law, the United States has escalated tensions in the region by seizing an Iranian cargo ship in the Sea of Oman. This provocative move, described by Iranian officials as “maritime piracy,” has been met with strong condemnation from Tehran, which has vowed a swift and decisive response.
US Aggression Escalates: Iran’s Right to Safe Passage Violated
Dr. Zahra Kharazmi, an assistant professor at the University of Tehran’s Faculty of World Studies, emphasized that Iran views the US blockade as an inherent act of war under international law. The news of the US seizure of an Iranian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, she stated, “indicates that we are just going up the escalation ladder.” For Iranians, she added, maintaining safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz is an undeniable right, and they will not tolerate it becoming a “platform of active aggression against them.”
Kharazmi warned that this “very bad escalation” could signify a dangerous expansion of the United States’ military build-up in the region. She affirmed Iran’s determination to retaliate, suggesting that such a response could include various measures, potentially even the closure of the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Iranian Officials Condemn US “Act of War”
Hassan Ahmadian, an associate professor at the University of Tehran, reiterated that Iranian officials had made it clear from the outset that they would “not observe the limits of any siege” on Iranian shipments. He characterized the US blockade as an “act of war” under international law, viewing the recent seizure of the vessel as a further “escalation within that act of war.” Ahmadian noted that while Iran has consistently sought diplomatic solutions, the current US administration appears intent on enforcing “surrender; capitulation.”
The Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters of Iran confirmed the US attack on an Iranian commercial ship in the Sea of Oman. In a statement carried by the Tasnim News Agency, it declared: “The aggressive America, by violating the ceasefire and committing maritime piracy, attacked one of Iran’s commercial ships in the waters of the Sea of Oman by firing upon it and disabling its navigation system by deploying several of its terrorist marines on the deck of the mentioned vessel.” The statement unequivocally confirmed the ship’s seizure and warned, “We warn that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed piracy by the US military.”
Immediate Iranian Response Reported
Reports from Iranian state media, including IRIB, indicate that an “Iranian container ship named Touska was targeted by an American attack, 50 miles (80km) from the port of Chabahar.” In a swift and decisive response, Iran reportedly “carried out drone attacks on American warships.”
Earlier reports from the semi-official Mehr News Agency detailed how “US Forces stationed in the waters of the Sea of Oman, in response to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the return of Indian and British commercial ships as well as the control measures taken by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, fired on an Iranian commercial ship.” However, thanks to the “immediate presence [and] rapid response of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy units to support the Iranian ship, the US forces were forced to retreat and leave the area.”
International Law Violated, Markets Unsettled
Harlan Ullman, a senior adviser at The Atlantic Council, echoed Iranian sentiments, stating that the US move to interdict and seize an Iranian cargo vessel “amounts to a declaration of war on Iran.” He told Al Jazeera, “It is an act of war, quite frankly. You just don’t do that.” Ullman further asserted that the US actions constitute a “violation of international law,” adding confusion to an already complex negotiation process.
The escalating tensions have sent shockwaves through global markets. Oil prices surged, with Brent crude futures jumping approximately 7 percent to $96.85 a barrel, and US crude oil rising 6.4 percent to $87.88 per barrel. The US dollar strengthened, while stock futures fell, reflecting investor anxiety over the volatile situation and the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as reported by Tasnim News Agency, conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart that threats to Iranian ports and ships, coupled with “irrational demands from Washington,” underscore the US’s lack of seriousness. Araghchi affirmed Iran’s unwavering commitment: “Iran will use all of its capacities to protect the interests and national security of Iran.”
Israeli Barbarism in Lebanon
Meanwhile, in a separate but related development highlighting regional instability, the Israeli army has confirmed the authenticity of a disturbing image circulating on social media. The photo depicts an Israeli soldier using a jackhammer to smash the head of a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon, an act that has rightly sparked widespread outrage and prompted an internal investigation by the Israeli military. This incident further exposes the true nature of the Zionist regime’s forces.
Adding to the humanitarian crisis, thousands of internally displaced people in Lebanon have returned to the south, after weeks of Israeli attacks, only to find their homes utterly destroyed. Despite Israel agreeing to a 10-day ceasefire and direct talks with the Lebanese government, it has defiantly refused to withdraw its occupation troops from the country’s south, as reported by Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto.
In another act of aggression, Israeli fire injured a 17-year-old Palestinian in the Ras al-Jura area, south of Hebron. Medical sources, according to Wafa news agency, stated the teenager was shot in the head and is in critical condition, a stark reminder of the ongoing brutality against the Palestinian people.
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