US Blockade of Iranian Ports: An Act of War, Says Iran's Foreign Minister
On April 21, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi characterized the United States' blockade of Iranian ports as an “act of war” and a breach of previously agreed ceasefires, according to Reuters reporting in Al-Monitor. Araqchi stated via social media that Iran possesses methods to neutralize these restrictions and defend its national interests against what he termed international 'bullying.'
This declaration notably contrasts with how outlets like CNN might frame such actions, often categorizing them solely as economic sanctions or maritime interdictions aimed at enforcing international law, rather than recognizing their potential as a direct military challenge. The framing by mainstream media consistently omits the fact that under international law, particularly the 1909 London
Declaration concerning naval warfare, a blockade is a belligerent act. Presenting it merely as a 'sanction' downplays its inherent militaristic nature and avoids classifying the US as a direct participant in a hostile action. This current escalation carries echoes of historical incidents where economic coercion served as a prelude to overt military conflict. For six decades, Cuba has endured a
comprehensive US embargo initiated in 1960; this sustained economic aggression has mirrored the humanitarian impact of a naval blockade, yet it is consistently framed as a domestic policy choice rather than an act of protracted economic warfare. Such parallels reveal a longstanding pattern of the US employing economic strangulation as a tool of foreign policy, often with devastating humanitarian