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Strait of Hormuz Closed, IRGC Says, Until US Stops — AI-generated representative image of an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz amid reports of shipping disruption and heightened Iran-US tensions.

Editorial Team

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to shipping “until further notice” and until the United States ends what it called “illegal” interference in the region, pushing back against reported US pressure to fully reopen the strategic maritime corridor.

The Strait of Hormuz is among the world’s most critical oil-shipping chokepoints, and disruptions can quickly ripple through commercial shipping and regional security. The IRGC’s declaration comes amid heightened tensions following tanker incidents in the waterway and subsequent US strikes on Iran, as negotiations continue through mediators in Oman. For more on Tehran’s stated response options, see Iran’s Plan to Strike Back Against the U.S..

Key developments

The IRGC said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed and that “no ship will be permitted to transit the waterway.”
The IRGC Navy said the closure will continue until the end of what it described as US intervention in the region.
The statement came as the US reportedly pressed Iranian negotiators to declare the strait fully open to commercial shipping following talks with mediators in Oman on Saturday.
The IRGC Navy warned that if “the enemy” uses what it called an incident it “itself caused” as a pretext for further action, Iran would respond forcefully and said “enemy bases in the region will be targeted.”

Context and background

The US carried out strikes on Iran on Wednesday and Thursday after several tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran did not publicly claim responsibility for the tanker attacks, according to the information provided. Related regional tensions have also included disputes over military activity in nearby theaters, including incidents such as Israeli Military Forces Iranian Airliner to Divert from Syrian Airspace.

Details and evidence

In its statement, the IRGC Navy said: “The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until further notice and until the end of US intervention in the region. No ship will be permitted to transit the waterway.”

It added: “If the enemy uses the incident it itself caused as a pretext to make another mistake and launch a new act of aggression against us, it will be met with a forceful response, and enemy bases in the region will be targeted.”

Iran has previously said that ships transiting the waterway must follow IRGC instructions and use a designated shipping lane.

Current status and next steps

As of the latest statement, the IRGC says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to shipping. The US has reportedly sought a declaration that the route is fully open following Oman-mediated talks on Saturday, but no confirmation was provided that such an agreement was reached.

Further developments are expected to depend on diplomatic contacts via mediators and any additional official announcements from Iran and the United States, as well as maritime security conditions in and around the strait.