London: Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy warned that any US interference in the "management" of the Strait of Hormuz would be met with a "strict military response." 

According to recordings from a public maritime radio channel provided to Xinhua by crew members aboard vessels stranded near the strategic waterway, the IRGC Navy issued a warning to ships operating in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, stating that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and that transit is permitted only with authorization from the IRGC Navy and through routes designated by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The warning added that any violations of the regulations would seriously jeopardize maritime security.

In the radio broadcast, the IRGC Navy also stated that any action by the US Navy aimed at interfering in "the management of the Strait of Hormuz or disrupting navigation" would face strict military action.

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he would lift the US blockade of Iranian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, a notice issued on Friday by the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) through the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said that the US blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect and that vessels are prohibited from entering or leaving Iranian ports.

The JMIC, a multinational maritime advisory body operating under a US-led framework, also warned that vessels refusing to comply with blockade instructions could be engaged by US forces, including through actions intended to disable or destroy them.

Recordings from the same public maritime radio channel, provided by seafarers near the Strait of Hormuz, also indicated that a US military aircraft broadcast a warning to a vessel early Saturday, instructing it to turn back immediately and stating that its course was being monitored.

(IANS)