Iran threatens to target US warships over Strait of Hormuz route

Iran announced that it would target any US warship that may try to impose a different route than the one that Tehran has allowed for ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, Mohsen Rezaei, a senior advisor to Iran's supreme leader, said Monday.

"(We won't allow) the second corridor to open. Even if they (US) deploy warships, we will target them," Rezaei said in an interview with Iran's state media.

Rezaei also warned of targeting US ships and bases if the country continued the naval blockade on Iran.

"There will certainly be serious dangers to the US ships and bases. We will not sit and watch the US continue the naval blockade," he added.

While President Donald Trump said on Monday he expected negotiations to begin within the next day or two after threathening that newly planned talks with Tehran are the “last chance” for Iran to forge a deal before devastating strikes on the country, Iran immediatly denied holding new negotiations saying the Islamic Republic was only working out an agreement with Oman at the moment over a temporary route for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei insisted the strait, the critical waterway where about a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas flowed before the start of the war, will "remain closed until US violations end".

Cargo vessel hit by 'unknown projectile'

Meanwhile, a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman was struck by an "unknown projectile", a British maritime agency said on Tuesday, without giving specifics on damage or injuries.

Authorities started an investigation into the vessel, which has not been named, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, adding the incident occurred 37 kilometres northeast of Al Khasab, Oman.