The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a new statement early Sunday reiterating the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to vessels linked to Israel and its supporters, saying it is no longer bound by any prior maritime agreements. The IRGC warned that any attempt to violate the closure will be met with force, placing responsibility on Israel and the U.S.
Just after midnight (Sun 00:20), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a fresh statement again declaring the Strait of Hormuz closed to vessels linked to Israel and its supporters, adding for the first time that it is 'no longer bound by any commitment or agreement related to the opening of shipping lanes or to any other understanding.' The statement, carried by the Abu Ali Express channel, repeats the threat that any attempt to violate the closure will be met with force and places responsibility on Israel and the U.S. The new declaration comes within an hour of the IRGC's initial Saturday-night announcement, which The Zioneer first reported at 23:16 Jerusalem.
The Zioneer's thread on this escalation began Saturday at 23:16 Jerusalem, when the IRGC first declared itself 'released from any commitment or agreement regarding the opening of maritime passages' citing continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon. Within minutes, a second version of the bulletin clarified the IRGC's explicit naming of the Strait of Hormuz and the threat of force. By 23:47 Jerusalem, The Zioneer published a fuller account warning that any breach 'will be met with force.' The new post-midnight statement is nearly identical in content — its sole new element is the explicit claim that the IRGC is no longer bound by prior agreements, a formulation that appeared in the earlier thread as 'released from all commitments' but is now stated as unconditional.
The escalation follows a series of steps The Zioneer has tracked since June 10, when the IRGC first declared the strait closed after reported U.S. strikes on coastal sites. On June 12, Iran's chief of staff claimed full control of the strait. By June 19, Tehran imposed mandatory Iranian insurance and coordination requirements on transiting vessels. On June 18, a U.S. Navy force reportedly broadcast a warning in Persian to IRGC vessels near the strait. The IRGC's repeated declarations over the past 24 hours appear designed to reaffirm an active posture rather than announce a new policy step — but the repetition itself signals an intent to present the closure as binding.
No independent confirmation of actual enforcement measures — such as vessel interdiction or naval deployments — has emerged yet. The IRGC's claims remain unverified by additional channels or by official Iranian state media beyond the Abu Ali Express the source.
6 developments
- DevelopingUS Navy warns IRGC vessels in Persian: 'halt or we attack' near Strait of Hormuz
- StrongIran tightens Strait of Hormuz transit rules: mandatory insurance, threat of IRGC Navy sanctions
- StrongIRGC Navy issues 'severe danger' warning to all vessels in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingIRGC turns ships back in Strait of Hormuz, analyst suggests mine avoidance
Source and signal
- Internal intake