Tehran has hit back at Donald Trump's Strait of Hormuz blockade order by branding Trump's America a nation of pirates - and warning that petrol-pumping Americans will soon be wishing they were only paying $4 a gallon.
The Islamic Republic's armed forces declared Trump's move illegal and vowed to impose a "permanent mechanism" to control the critical oil chokepoint, warning that if Iranian ports were threatened, no port in the Persian Gulf or Sea of Oman would remain safe, the Express understands.
"The criminal actions of America in restricting maritime transit in international waters are illegal and constitute piracy," an Iranian armed forces spokesperson reportedly said.
"The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran clearly and firmly declare that security of ports in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for no one."
The defiance came as Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf took to social media to mock American consumers over the looming impact on fuel prices, reports the NY Post.
"Enjoy the current pump figures," he wrote on X. "With the so-called 'blockade', Soon you'll be nostalgic for $4-$5 gas."
Trump announced the blockade on Truth Social on Sunday, framing Iran's control of the strait as "WORLD EXTORTION" and vowing that no vessel paying tolls to Tehran would be granted safe passage.
"Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz," he wrote.
Trump acknowledged the blockade would eventually be lifted but blamed Iran for the current standoff.
"At some point, we will reach an 'ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT' basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, 'There may be a mine out there somewhere,' that nobody knows about but them.
"THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas."
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