Caine warns US ‘will use force’ against vessels seeking to run blockade of Iran; 13 ships ‘have made wise choice of turning around’

Speaking at the Pentagon, Joint Chiefs chair Gen. Dan Caine says US forces “will actively pursue any Iranian flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran” — anywhere in the world.

He issues a clear warning to any targeted vessel attempting to circumvent a US blockade: “Turn around or prepare to be boarded… We will use force.”

Caine describes the effort as a “blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline” with enforcement “inside Iran’s territorial seas and in international waters.” He notes that US forces in other areas of the world, including the Pacific, also will pursue vessels tied to Iran.

The blockade “applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports” and includes “dark fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil.” He defines these as “vessels or those illicit or illegal ships evading international regulations, sanctions or insurance requirements.”

Caine says more than 10,000 sailors, marines and airmen using ships, planes and helicopters are working to enforce the blockade.

Any vessel that approaches the blockade is first warned to turn around or be boarded. Warning shots and other escalatory tactics could also be used, Caine says.

Caine says that so far no ships have had to be boarded. “Thirteen ships have made the wise choice of turning around,” he says.

Caine describes Navy warships maintaining the blockade against Iran “like driving a sports car through a supermarket parking lot on a pay day weekend.”

These maneuvers are being performed “with thousands of kids in that parking lot” as they position themselves to get to ships that would attempt to run that blockade, he says.