Iran has issued a stark warning that it could attack U.S. Navy vessels entering the Strait of Hormuz, signaling through Pakistani intermediaries that ships may be targeted within minutes if they proceed through the critical waterway, raising concerns about the stability of ongoing negotiations.

The threat followed the movement of American warships through the strait for the first time since the conflict began. According to Axios, multiple U.S. naval vessels passed through the channel without prior coordination with Tehran, in what officials described as an effort to uphold freedom of navigation in international waters.

Hours later, the U.S. military confirmed that two of its ships had transited the strait as part of preparations to begin clearing naval mines from the key route used for global oil transport.

Sending the ships through the strait was aimed at “setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz,” U.S. Central Command posted on X.

Iranian state-affiliated outlets portrayed the U.S. naval movement as a breach of the ceasefire, adding strain to an already delicate situation as diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran get underway in Pakistan. A U.S. official, however, said no direct warning had been received from Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz, located along Iran’s southern coastline, remains one of the most strategically vital maritime corridors in the world, with a large portion of global oil shipments passing through it. Although the ceasefire included provisions to reopen the passage, commercial traffic has stayed relatively low, as shipping companies remain wary of potential Iranian retaliation.