Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency quotes a military source saying the Strait of Hormuz is still closed, and that the IRGC's naval force will not issue transit permits to vessels until further notice. The report follows a similar IRGC declaration early Sunday.
In a further escalation of Iranian messaging on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported Sunday morning that a military source told it the waterway remains closed and the IRGC's naval force will not issue transit permits until further notice. The new detail—an explicit ban on permits—follows a series of IRGC statements overnight Saturday that the desk has tracked since Saturday 23:16 Jerusalem.
As The Zioneer reported in rapid succession from early Sunday back to Saturday night, the IRGC first declared itself released from all maritime commitments (version 1, Saturday 23:16, single Iranian source). Within the same minute it named the Strait, then threatened force against violations (version 3, same timestamp). The IRGC then reiterated the closure to Israel-linked shipping, placed responsibility on Israel and the U.S., and warned of force (versions 4-6, all timestamped Saturday 23:16). At no point in the overnight thread did any non-Iranian source corroborate the IRGC's claims.
Fars News Agency, a semi-official outlet, has been the originating source for several of this desk's Strait-related bulletins since early June—including reports of Iranian forces blocking a tanker (June 12) and turning ships back (June 20). Its latest dispatch adds the permit detail but remains, like the entire thread, an Iranian assertion lacking independent confirmation from maritime or international military sources.
It remains unclear whether any vessel has been physically denied passage by the permit regime, and no international naval force—including the U.S. Navy, which was reported on June 18 to have warned IRGC vessels—has confirmed the closure.
9 developments
- ConfirmedNew Iranian body declares Strait of Hormuz closed until further notice
- StrongIranian outlets claim Strait of Hormuz remains closed, contradicting US denials
- DevelopingUS Navy warns IRGC vessels in Persian: 'halt or we attack' near Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingIRGC turns ships back in Strait of Hormuz, analyst suggests mine avoidance
Source and signal
- Internal intake