Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed, less than 24 hours after Tehran declared the crucial waterway was "completely open" for all commercial vessels.
The IRGC cited a violation of the ceasefire and the ongoing US blockade of Iranian ports as reasons for blocking the strait. "We warn that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the violating vessel will be targeted," the elite force said in a statement.
The IRGC urged all vessels and their owners to follow news only from the official IRGC Navy authority through Channel 16, adding that the statements made by US President Donald Trump regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf lacked credibility.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had announced the reopening of the vital waterway after President Trump declared a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, one of Tehran’s key demands.
"In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire," Araghchi said in a post on X.
Trump welcomed the announcement, but stated that the naval blockade against Iran would remain in "full force" until Tehran reached an agreement with the US to end the war.
“The Strait of Hormuz is completely open and ready for business and full passage, but the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100 per cent complete. This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated,” the US president said.
Iran had previously closed the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s crucial oil chokepoints, following the US-Israel joint airstrikes on the country. This caused global energy supplies to be crippled, markets to go into turmoil, and inflation to spike in many countries.
The IRGC's decision to close the strait again has raised concerns over potential oil supply disruptions, price hikes, and further market crises.
On Saturday, hours before the IRGC annnouncement of closing the strait, two Indian-flagged vessels carrying crude oil reversed course in the waterway after coming under Iranian military gunfire. The incident has prompted New Delhi to summon the Iranian envoy and lodge a strong protest.