WANA (Mar 23) – Iran’s Defense Council has issued a strongly worded statement warning that not only the Strait of Hormuz but the entire Persian Gulf could be effectively shut down in the event of further military escalation.

 

Citing the Quranic principle “whoever transgresses against you, respond in kind,” the statement emphasized Iran’s commitment to retaliation proportional to any attack.

 

According to the council, Iran has already demonstrated this doctrine in practice. It referenced a retaliatory strike on the Dimona nuclear complex following an alleged attack on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, as well as previous responses targeting energy infrastructure in Asaluyeh.

 

The statement reiterated that Iran remains committed to delivering a “decisive and devastating response” to any aggression against its nuclear facilities or energy infrastructure and insisted such retaliation would be carried out without delay.

 

Iran also warned that any attempt by adversaries to attack its coastlines or islands would trigger widespread naval mining operations. These would include deployable and floating sea mines, effectively blocking maritime routes throughout the Persian Gulf.

 

“In such a scenario,” the statement noted, “the entire Persian Gulf would take on conditions similar to the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that this would result in a prolonged shutdown of regional shipping lanes. Responsibility, it stressed, would lie with the initiating party.

 

The council further pointed to historical precedent, recalling that more than 100 minesweepers struggled to clear a limited number of naval mines during conflicts in the 1980s, underscoring the potential scale and difficulty of any future clearance efforts.

 

Finally, the statement declared that passage through the Strait of Hormuz for non-hostile nations would only be possible through coordination with Iran.

 

It concluded by affirming that the Iranian people, armed forces, and officials would stand firmly behind the orders of the country’s Supreme Leader and Commander-in-Chief.