Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday it had closed the Strait of Hormuz after firing a naval cruise missile at a vessel it accused of using an unauthorised route, in what it described as a further escalation in tensions with the United States.
This portal could not independently verify the claims or whether shipping through the strait had been halted.
The announcement came after what the IRGC described as a new wave of U.S. military strikes on Iranian positions.
In a statement carried by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, the force accused foreign powers of violating security in one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes through what it called unauthorised shipping activity.
“Given the precariousness caused by this unlawful interference by outside parties, the Strait of Hormuz is to be closed until further notice and until regional interference by the U.S. ceases,” the statement said.
“No vessel or naval craft will be allowed to pass.”
The IRGC warned that any attempt by the United States to challenge the blockade would prompt a military response and said U.S. military bases in the region would become legitimate targets if hostilities continued.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has also played a role in negotiations with the United States, wrote on X: “The era of one-sided deals is OVER.”
“We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking,” he added.
The developments, if confirmed, would threaten to undermine a ceasefire agreed by Washington and Tehran in June after months of hostilities. The agreement was intended to reduce tensions, safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and support stability in global energy markets.
The ceasefire has come under repeated strain as the two sides have exchanged military strikes, while negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme have remained unresolved.
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