KATHMANDU — Tensions have escalated once again in the Strait of Hormuz following an incident involving a U.S. warship. According to reports, the Iranian Navy claims to have prevented a U.S. vessel from transiting the strategic waterway.
The Fars News Agency reported that the U.S. warship was heading toward Hormuz from the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. Upon detecting this movement, the Iranian military increased its surveillance and alerted the mediation team currently stationed in Pakistan. A message was then immediately relayed to the American side via Pakistani mediators.
The warning sent by Iran stated that action would be taken if the ship approached the Strait. The message reportedly included a stern ultimatum: if the vessel continued its course, it could be targeted within 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, it is claimed that the U.S. warship was halted following this intense military posturing and diplomatic warning. This stands in contrast to a previous U.S. media report which claimed that two American warships had successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz despite warnings from the Iranian Navy—an event that report described as a first since the start of the conflict.
In a separate development, Iran has claimed it will be able to restore its damaged oil refining and energy infrastructure to a large extent within one to two months. According to reports, Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister stated that repair work on damaged structures is progressing rapidly. There are plans to bring parts of the Lavan Refinery back online within approximately 10 days.
According to the Minister, other facilities will be brought back into operation gradually. The goal is to return most oil refineries to approximately 70% to 80% of their original capacity as quickly as possible.
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