Iran has threatened to deny passage through the Strait of Hormuz to vessels whose owners accept compensation from the country’s frozen assets, the nation’s main military command said on Tuesday.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said any vessel belonging to a country or company receiving such compensation would be barred from transiting the strategic waterway, according to Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB.

The warning followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump that ships damaged by Iran in the Gulf would be compensated using Iran’s frozen funds.

Responding, a spokesman for the headquarters rejected the proposal. 

He argued that the vessels were damaged due to insecurity caused by the U.S. military.

The spokesman also claimed that the ships had used an illegal and unsafe shipping route south of the Strait of Hormuz.

He warned that Iran’s armed forces would deny passage to vessels whose owners accepted the compensation.

He said Iran’s armed forces would prevent vessels belonging to countries or companies that accepted the compensation from passing through the strait.

According to the report, Iran has tightened restrictions on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since February 28 following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian territory, barring vessels linked to Israel and the United States from safe passage. 

(Xinhua/NAN)