TEHRAN, March 5. /TASS/. Iran has not closed the Strait of Hormuz as it continues to cooperate with vessels passing through it in line with international protocols, said Kioumars Heydari, the deputy commander of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic.

"We have not closed the Strait of Hormuz and we cooperate with vessels passing through it in accordance with international protocols," the senior Iranian military official told Iran’s state-run television.

The United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel.