Doha: A spokesman for the Iranian army said on Sunday that countries enforcing US sanctions against Tehran will "certainly face difficulties in passing through the Strait of Hormuz," according to local media.

According to Anadolu Agency, Brig. Gen. Akrami Nia stated that "none of the enemy's objectives were achieved," and the political balance of the Iranian system was "not disrupted." His comments were carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, leading to Iranian retaliation against Israel and US allies in the Gulf, as well as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a set deadline, allowing for diplomacy to seek a permanent solution to the conflict.

Since April 13, the US has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the waterway. President Trump announced on Tuesday that the US military will temporarily pause "Project Freedom" to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the channel, stating that the American blockade will remain "in full force and effect."