Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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The United States Central Command has claimed that U.S. forces have successfully imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, asserting that naval dominance has been achieved in the Middle East, AzerNEWS reports.

According to a statement attributed to CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper and published on the command’s official X account, Iranian ports have been effectively blockaded.

“The blockade of Iranian ports has been successfully ensured, as U.S. Armed Forces have achieved maritime superiority in the Middle East,” the admiral was quoted as saying.

He further stated that over the past 36 hours, the United States had managed to “paralyze Iran’s maritime trade.”

The developments come amid a broader escalation in the region. On February 28, the United States and Israel reportedly launched military operations against Iran, including strikes on major cities such as Tehran.

The White House has justified the strikes by citing missile and nuclear-related threats allegedly originating from Iran. Some reports have claimed casualties among senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though these claims have not been independently verified.

In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it had launched large-scale retaliatory operations against Israeli targets.

Iran has also reportedly used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles against U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.

The escalation has placed regional energy infrastructure and maritime transport under significant pressure. Security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have contributed to volatility in global oil markets.

On April 7, the United States and Iran reportedly agreed to a temporary two-week ceasefire aimed at de-escalation and opening space for negotiations. However, talks held on April 11 in Islamabad reportedly ended without any agreement.