- Tehran Cites Security Concerns, Warns Vessels Against Attempting Passage
TEHRAN: Iran has announced the closure of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz to all maritime traffic following renewed United States strikes on its territory, according to a statement from the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces.
The Iranian military command declared that, effective immediately, the waterway would be closed to all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships, citing what it described as a lack of security in the region.
“Due to the prevailing security conditions, the Strait of Hormuz is hereby declared closed to all types of vessels. Any attempt to pass through the strait will be met with strikes,” Iranian state television quoted the statement as saying.
Meanwhile, naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that they had already targeted two vessels attempting to transit through the strategic waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, with a significant share of global oil shipments passing through it.
BY: The Times Union
