TEHRAN — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy Command announced on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz has been formally closed to maritime traffic, effective from Saturday evening, and will remain so until the United States unconditionally lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports. The declaration, broadcast by Iran’s state-run IRIB broadcaster, marks one of the most consequential escalations in the Persian Gulf in decades, with immediate ramifications for global energy markets.
“As a result of the violation of the ceasefire regime, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed from the evening of today [Saturday], until the US lifts the naval blockade,” the IRGC Navy stated in its official communiqué. The command further issued an unambiguous warning that any vessel attempting to approach the waterway would be subject to military strikes, as such an approach would be regarded as “cooperation with the enemy” — a direct reference to the United States.
The closure follows a significant escalation initiated by Washington on 13 April 2026, when the US Navy commenced a comprehensive blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports situated on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a critical chokepoint through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas supplies transit annually, making its closure an event of profound consequence for global energy security and international shipping lanes.
Washington has sought to frame its naval posture as selective rather than absolute, asserting that non-Iranian vessels remain free to transit the Strait of Hormuz provided they refrain from paying any toll to Tehran. Iranian authorities have not formally announced the imposition of such a toll, though discussions regarding the measure have been reported at senior governmental levels. The IRGC’s characterisation of the US blockade as a “violation of the ceasefire regime” suggests that a prior diplomatic or military understanding between the two parties has been breached, further complicating prospects for de-escalation.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, if sustained, would represent an unprecedented disruption to global oil supply chains, affecting energy-importing nations across Asia, Europe, and beyond. Shipping insurers, tanker operators, and commodity traders are expected to respond swiftly to the IRGC’s threat of military action against vessels in the vicinity of the waterway. The Iranian Vice-President has separately stated that control of the Hormuz will be “secured one way or another,” underscoring Tehran’s resolve to leverage its geographic position as a counterweight to American naval pressure.
Find more details at Sputnik International.