Iran warns over US blockade as ceasefire nears end
Shafaq News- Tehran/ Washington
Iran on Tuesday described the US naval blockade of its ports as an “act of war,” warning that the measures violate a ceasefire and risk further escalation.
Posting on X, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said blockading Iranian ports constitutes a breach of the truce, adding that targeting commercial vessels and detaining their crews represents “an even greater violation.”
Blockading Iranian ports is an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire. Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation.Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 21, 2026
The remarks follow the US boarding of the Iran-linked oil tanker M/T Tifani in the Indo-Pacific, part of Washington’s maritime interdiction campaign targeting Iranian oil shipments. The US Treasury has also imposed sanctions on 14 entities linked to efforts to help Iran acquire weapons, under what it described as part of the “Economic Fury” campaign.
“As the [Iranian] regime attempts to reconstitute its production capacity, the United States will continue to deplete Iran’s ballistic missile inventories,” the Treasury said.
Today, as part of Economic Fury, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is sanctioning 14 targets for their involvement in helping the Iranian regime obtain weapons. As the regime attempts to reconstitute its production capacity, the United States will continue to deplete…
— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) April 21, 2026
The European Union has also expanded its sanctions regime against Iran, citing violations of freedom of navigation. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that any renewed fighting would carry a high cost for all parties.
The ongoing ceasefire, which took effect on April 8, is set to expire on April 22 at 3:20 a.m. Tehran time.
