🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷 NEW: Radio recordings from the Iran blockade capture tanker captains BEGGING the US Navy not to fire and Iran's navy mocking "the tweets of some idiots" -April 13, the US Navy opens the blockade over marine radio: "The U.S. has announced a formal blockade of Iranian ports

🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷 NEW: Radio recordings from the Iran blockade capture tanker captains BEGGING the US Navy not to fire and Iran's navy mocking "the tweets of some idiots" -April 13, the US Navy opens the blockade over marine radio: "The U.S. has announced a formal blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas." -Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy fires back: "Attention all vessels in Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, this is Iranian SEPA Navy calling on channel 16. Strait of Hormuz is still closed, we will open it by the order of our leader, not by the tweets of some idiots." -April 18, the captain of the Indian supertanker Sanmar Herald, carrying 2 MILLION barrels of Iraqi crude, tries to reach Iran's navy as gunboats close in: "Iranian navy, Iranian navy. Sanmar Herald." Then, after the attack: "I am turning back. I am turning back." -May 6, the USS Abraham Lincoln warns the dark tanker Hasna before disabling its rudder with cannon fire: "Leave now. This is a legal action..." Hasna's crew sends out a distress call: "Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité." -July 24, the Navy gives a sanctioned gas tanker with 28 Indian sailors 15 MINUTES to clear its engine room, and nearby ships can't even tell who's being called: "Lucy, they are calling motor vessel Lucy." Exactly 15 minutes later, the ship calls for help under an old name: "This is Disha, Disha, Disha." -July 25, a Chinese captain stuck between the Navy and Iran's permission rules pleads his case: "USA aircraft, USA aircraft. Motor vessel Liao Fan calling." And then: "Yes, sir, now our company contacted the Iran Navy but now no get their permission." Fellow Chinese sailors beg him to give up: "Turn back now, brother. This is not the time to call the shipowner. The U.S. really will fire on you." -August 11, after the Navy hits the containership Vela Nova, a nearby captain offers to rescue the crew: "Say it slowly please, is this the captain speaking?" -Early September, the Iranian tanker Hawk, sitting at anchor, pleads with the Navy: "U.S. Navy, this is motor tanker Hawk. My engine already out of service." It was struck on Sept 1 anyway. The big question here: Is this the war's most effective weapon, or its most expensive? It's choking Iran's oil money better than years of sanctions did, but holding the line takes about 20 Navy ships that can't be anywhere else. Source: The Wall Street Journal / Writer: Daniel