Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced the indefinite closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, warning that the vital shipping route will remain shut until further notice.
The announcement came after the Guards said they fired warning shots at a vessel accused of navigating through an unauthorised shipping route and ignoring repeated directives from Iranian authorities.
In a statement carried by Iran’s state media, the IRGC said the vessel was forced to stop after failing to comply with instructions to use an approved maritime corridor.
The Guards declared that no vessel would be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz until what it described as the end of American intervention in the region.
The military force also warned that it would target additional enemy bases across the region if further military action was taken against Iran.
The latest development is expected to further complicate diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations between Tehran and Washington following recent military confrontations and escalating tensions.
Reports indicate that the United States had urged Iran to cease interference with commercial shipping and publicly affirm that the waterway remained open to international maritime traffic.
The Strait of Hormuz is regarded as one of the world’s most strategic maritime corridors, with nearly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports passing through the narrow waterway.
Any prolonged disruption to shipping through the strait could significantly affect global energy supplies and trigger further increases in international oil prices.
Iran has maintained that it has the sovereign right to regulate navigation through the waterway, while the United States insists that international commercial vessels must continue to enjoy unrestricted passage under international law.
