Tehran [Iran], April 16 (ANI): Military adviser of Iran's Supreme Leader, Mohsen Rezaei, issued a strong warning to the US following its naval blockade on Iranian ports, stating that the Islamic Republic will not withdraw from the Strait of Hormuz until its 'rights are fully secured', Iranian State Media, Press TV reported.

According to Press TV, the advisor, who was also a former commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated that Iran considers the strategic waterway a critical point of leverage and will continue to assert control over it in response to what Tehran calls unlawful restrictions on its economic and maritime activity.

'Iran will not leave the Strait of Hormuz until its rights are fully secured. Based on past negotiations, agreements must be drafted more carefully, with a stronger focus on economic issues. Unlike the US, which fears prolonged war, Iran is fully prepared and experienced in long-term war. Why do US vessels and forces avoid crossing the Strait of Hormuz if Iran's navy has supposedly been destroyed? Unlike previous talks where the other side set the terms, Iran is now setting the preconditions,' Rezaei said, as quoted by Press TV.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly one-fifth of the world's oil supply passes, has become the focal point of the ongoing confrontation between Iran and the US despite diplomatic engagement taking place in the background to find a complete solution to end the hostilities in West Asia.

This comes amid an announcement by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday that a comprehensive blockade of Iran's ports has been successfully implemented, with US forces asserting maritime dominance across key regional waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said that within 36 hours of the operation's launch, US forces had effectively halted all maritime trade entering and leaving Iran. (ANI)