Iran warns of 'forceful response' against ships using unapproved routes in Strait of Hormuz

Iran has warned that vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz through unapproved routes will face a "forceful response", raising fresh concerns over maritime security and the movement of global trade through one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

The warning came a day after Qatari mediators said indirect negotiations between the US and Iran had made "positive progress" towards a final peace agreement.

Iran warns ships against violating navigation rules

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said any vessel that failed to follow Tehran's designated navigation routes in the Strait of Hormuz would face immediate action.

"Any failure to comply with and depart from the designated route or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, and will endanger the security of the offending vessels," the headquarters said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

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The warning followed a US Central Command (CENTCOM)-led security meeting in Bahrain, where regional military leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the free flow of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint that carries nearly one-fifth of global energy supplies.

Iran rejects US role in Gulf security

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said CENTCOM had no authority to determine security arrangements in the Persian Gulf and called for recognition of what he described as "new geopolitical realities".

In a post on X, Gharibabadi said regional security could only be achieved through an end to foreign intervention, respect for the sovereignty of regional states and the withdrawal of US forces.

"The region's security will be ensured through the end of interventions and the US withdrawal from the area, respect for countries' sovereignty, and acceptance of new geopolitical realities – not under the military umbrella of America," he wrote.

Strait of Hormuz remains a key flashpoint

Soon after the conflict began, Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global trade and triggering a sharp rise in energy prices in several countries, including the US.

According to MarineTraffic, at least 49 attacks on commercial vessels have been reported in the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict involving the US, Iran and Israel began.

US-Iran talks continue

The US and Iran remain engaged in indirect negotiations aimed at finalising an agreement to end the war in West Asia, which began on February 28 and resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The latest round of talks was held in Doha on Wednesday. While both sides continued discussions, no major breakthrough was announced, with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the unfreezing of Iranian funds remaining key sticking points.

According to Qatari officials, the next round of negotiations will take place after the burial ceremony of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 9.