“We took the Strait of Hormuz by force, and we will continue to protect it by force,” Rezaei wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account.

The statement came hours after Tehran and Washington exchanged military strikes amidst a fresh escalation of tensions in the Gulf.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic until further notice, citing an insecure situation caused by foreign interference.

Meanwhile, authorities in Iran’s Kerman province reported that a communications tower was hit during the US attacks carried out overnight.

The Persian Gulf region has been experiencing rising tensions since the military confrontation between the US and Israel against Iran began on February 28.

Although Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18, both sides continue to engage in reciprocal military actions while talks—mediated by Qatar and Pakistan—proceed in an effort to reach a definitive agreement.

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