Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz “until further notice” after intercepting a vessel accused of using an unauthorised shipping route, according to Iranian state media.
The development is expected to further heighten tensions between Iran and the United States, complicating ongoing efforts to revive negotiations after recent military exchanges and escalating rhetoric between both countries.
According to the Guards, the vessel ignored repeated instructions to use an approved shipping corridor and was stopped after warning shots were fired.
“The vessel was hit by warning shots and stopped after failing to comply with repeated directives to use the designated route,” the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA on Sunday.
Following the incident, the Guards declared that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until further notice and until what they described as the end of “American interventions” in the region.
“Following this incident, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this region, and no vessels will be allowed to pass through,” the statement said.
The Revolutionary Guards also warned that they would target “new enemy bases in the region” if further military action is taken against Iran.
The announcement comes amid reports by U.S. media outlets that Washington had given Tehran until Saturday to cease attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and formally affirm that the vital waterway remained open to international shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategic maritime chokepoints, with about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through the narrow waterway. Any disruption to traffic is expected to have significant implications for global energy markets.
Iran had previously closed the strait during its conflict involving the United States and Israel, a move that triggered sharp increases in global oil prices and disrupted commercial shipping across the region.
Tehran has maintained that it has the authority to regulate maritime traffic through the strait and has proposed charging fees for vessels using the route. Iranian officials have also insisted there will be no return to the previous system of unrestricted navigation.
The United States, however, has rejected Iran’s position, maintaining that international commercial shipping must be allowed to pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz in line with customary international law.
