An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader has intensified the Strait of Hormuz crisis, declaring that Iran will not vacate the strategic waterway until its “full rights” are formally recognised, further escalating Iran–US tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking to Iranian media, Mohsen Rezaee, a close adviser to Mojtaba Khamenei, said the United States remains fearful of a sustained military confrontation, while Iran is fully prepared for a prolonged conflict.
His remarks come amid growing international concern over maritime security and energy supply disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
Rezaee claimed that Iranian missile and naval launch systems are capable of sinking US naval vessels, reinforcing Iran’s long-standing warning that any attempt to force passage through the Strait would carry serious consequences.
مقاومت مجاهدان حزبالله و فشارهای چندوجهی ایران(تنگه هرمز و توقف مذاکره) منجر به تحمیل آتشبس به دشمن صهیونی-آمریکایی در لبنان شد؛ این درحالی است که دولت لبنان و ترامپ تلاش میکنند این آتشبس را ابتکار خود اعلام کنند.هر مذاکرهای در آینده منوط به رعایت شروط ایران و مقاومت است.
— محسن رضایی (@ir_rezaee) April 16, 2026
He stressed that Iran would not withdraw from the Strait of Hormuz until what he described as Iran’s complete legal and strategic rights are acknowledged.
Addressing US assertions that Iran’s naval power has been weakened, Rezaee questioned Washington’s resolve. He asked why, if Iran’s navy has been destroyed as claimed, the US Navy remains hesitant to move freely through the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical oil and gas shipping routes.
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of global oil trade, making it central to global energy markets, Middle East security, and international shipping. Any prolonged disruption could sharply affect oil prices, regional stability, and diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States.
Analysts say Rezaee’s comments signal a deliberate strategy of deterrence, aimed at pressuring Washington while rallying domestic support. As rhetoric hardens on both sides, the Strait of Hormuz crisis remains a flashpoint with implications far beyond the Gulf, raising fears of miscalculation in an already volatile region.
