Iran warned on Sunday that the presence of French and British naval vessels in or around the Strait of Hormuz would trigger a "decisive and immediate response" from Iranian armed forces.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi criticized, in a post on the US social media platform X, plans announced by France and the UK to deploy naval assets to the region under the banner of protecting maritime security.
He said France announced dispatching of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle toward the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in preparation for a future joint mission with Britain "aimed at strengthening freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
According to Gharibabadi, Britain also announced it would send a warship to the Red Sea in coordination with France.
The Iranian official said the deployment of "extra-regional destroyers" near the Strait of Hormuz under the pretext of protecting shipping represented "an escalation of the crisis" and the "militarization of a vital waterway."
"Maritime security cannot be ensured through displays of military might," he said, arguing that countries supporting or remaining silent about US-Israeli aggression were "part of the problem."
Gharibabadi added that French officials said the Charles de Gaulle mission would include mine-clearing operations and escorting ships once calm is restored.
"We remind them that, whether in times of war or peace, only the Islamic Republic of Iran can establish security in this strait and will not permit any country to interfere in such matters," he said.
He warned that the presence of French or British vessels -- or any forces coordinating with what he described as unlawful U.S. actions in the Strait of Hormuz -- would face an immediate Iranian response.
He warned that "the presence of French and British ships, or those of any other country potentially coordinating with America's unlawful and internationally illegal actions in the Strait of Hormuz, will be met with a decisive and immediate response from the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
"They are strongly advised not to complicate the situation further," he added.
Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Diplomatic efforts for a full reopening of the strategic waterway that carries a fifth of world's oil and gas, and preventing a return to the conflict are currently underway. A key sticking point is said to be the fate of the enriched uranium Tehran has.
