The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asserted via its own the source Wednesday evening that the Strait of Hormuz is completely closed to all maritime traffic, with no vessel permitted to pass without Iranian authorization. A military source cited by the channel warned that any attempt to cross—especially by vessels ignoring warnings—would be met with a 'decisive and immediate' response.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) used its own the source Wednesday evening to restate its claim that the Strait of Hormuz is completely closed to all maritime traffic, and to threaten any vessel that attempts to cross without Iranian authorization. A military source quoted by the channel said the Iranian armed forces maintain full control of the strait and that any attempt to cross—especially by vessels ignoring warnings—would be met with a 'decisive and immediate' response.
This is not the first such assertion. Earlier Wednesday, as The Zioneer reported, a separate IRGC source told the semi-official Fars News Agency that the strait and the Persian Gulf were completely closed. The new statement, coming from the IRGC's own official channel, appears to reinforce the organization's position as it continues to enforce a unilateral blockade of the strategic waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to international shipping since late June, when the IRGC Navy asserted operational control and began imposing transit rules. The past weeks have seen diverted shipping, strikes on vessels, and retaliatory actions by U.S. CENTCOM. The IRGC's latest warning signals that Tehran intends to maintain the closure despite mounting international pressure.
2 developments
- StrongIran's IRGC asserts full control of Strait of Hormuz, threatens force on unauthorized vessels
- DevelopingIRGC Navy says it bombed a vessel in Strait of Hormuz, orders all ships to turn back
- StrongIRGC Confirms Two Commercial Vessels Disabled in Strait of Hormuz, Warns of Further Action
- DevelopingIRGC announces temporary closure of Strait of Hormuz, citing 'foreign intervention'
Source and signal
- Open-source intake