LONDON, June 15– The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Monday circulated an advisory from the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), warning that a U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect and that vessels should not attempt to enter restricted areas until further notice.
According to the advisory, the maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz remains severe due to blockade operations. It said a blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect pending the implementation of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement scheduled for June 19, and warned vessels not to enter the restricted area until explicit direction is given.
According to the notice, all inbound and outbound traffic involving Iranian ports remains subject to blockade restrictions. Vessels assisting ships in violation of the blockade through ship-to-ship transfers could be boarded by blockading forces.
The advisory further warned that enforcement actions could include disabling or destructive fire against vessels that fail to demonstrate immediate compliance with blockade measures or boarding instructions.
The JMIC is a multinational naval advisory mechanism led by the United States. The UKMTO serves as one of its key information-sharing partners for maritime security alerts and navigational warnings in the region.
Earlier in the day, an audio recording from a VHF maritime radio channel, exclusively obtained by Xinhua from a crew member aboard a commercial vessel operating near the Strait of Hormuz, captured a U.S. military warning to nearby ships saying: “The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas remains in effect. Do not attempt to breach the blockade.”
The United States and Iran announced a memorandum of understanding on Sunday to end the war. U.S. President Donald Trump said he had ordered the immediate removal of the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and said the Strait of Hormuz would be opened when the initial agreement was signed in Switzerland on Friday. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
