Iranian Navy prevented enemy carrier groups, marines from entering Sea of Oman: Commander

A top Iranian naval commander says Iranian forces successfully prevented US and Israeli aircraft carrier strike groups and marine forces from entering the Sea of Oman.

Iranian Navy commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani made the remarks in a TV interview aired on Friday, hours after Iran gave commercial vessels conditional access to the Strait of Hormuz following the ceasefire in Lebanon.

"To this day, we have not allowed enemy aircraft carrier strike groups and marines to enter the Sea of Oman," Irani said.

The commander said the US and Israeli naval forces attempted to slip through the Strait of Hormuz using covert and deceptive methods, believing Iranian forces would not detect them, but were taken off guard.

The admiral also dismissed US President Donald Trump's recent threats of a so-called “naval blockade” against Iran as hollow and ineffective.

“No one listens to Trump's talk of a naval blockade – it's just words,” he asserted, adding with a sharp jab: “Trump has imposed a naval blockade on his friends, not on us.”

He characterized the US president’s proposed blockade in the strategic waterway as an act of criminality, calling it “banditry and piracy.”

A Press TV investigation on April 12 revealed that the US military's attempt to sail two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz ended as a failed propaganda stunt.

Based on information provided by military-security sources, the report revealed that the US Navy destroyers came within minutes of complete destruction after attempting a high-risk passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Both Arleigh Burke-class destroyers had attempted to transit the strategic waterway but were intercepted and forced to retreat by Iranian naval forces.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy on Friday said a "new order" is now in place over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, outlining strict new regulations for all maritime traffic.

In a statement, the IRGC Navy commander announced that all commercial vessels will only be permitted to transit through routes designated by Iran.

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