Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters said the U.S. threatened commercial ships and oil tankers in Iranian territorial waters over the last three days [1].
This escalation increases the risk of direct military confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. Any disruption to shipping in these waters could trigger immediate volatility in international oil markets.
The Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, which coordinates activities between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the regular army, issued the statement on Tuesday. The military body said that the U.S. actions over the three-day period [1] constitute an expansion of the regional conflict.
Iranian officials said they will not be lenient regarding these threats. The headquarters said it would not leave any American aggression without a response [2].
"We will not be lenient regarding American threats," the headquarters said [1].
Tehran views these naval maneuvers as a form of maritime blockade. The military leadership said that any hostile act by the U.S. would be met with a counter-response [2].
"We will not leave any aggression without a response," the headquarters said [2].
The statement comes amid heightened tensions in the region, where both nations have frequently engaged in shadow warfare and maritime seizures. The Khatam al-Anbiya leadership said that the security of Iranian territorial waters remains a priority.
“"We will not be lenient regarding American threats,"”
The statement from Khatam al-Anbiya signals a high state of readiness within Iran's dual military structure. By framing U.S. naval presence as an expansion of war, Tehran is establishing a justification for potential kinetic responses. This rhetoric suggests that the threshold for Iranian intervention in the Strait of Hormuz has lowered, potentially turning commercial shipping into a primary lever for geopolitical pressure.
