Tehran has defied President Donald Trump’s demands to fully open the strategic waterway to ships.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends what it called “illegal” intervention in the region.
The statement came as the United States reportedly pressured Iranian negotiators to declare the sea completely open for commercial ships following talks with negotiators in Oman on Saturday.
“The sea gate of Hormuz will remain closed until further notice and until the end of the American intervention in the area. No ships will be allowed to pass through the waterway,” The IRGC Navy said.
“If the enemy uses the incident that caused itself as an excuse to commit another offense and initiate a new act of aggression against us, it will be met with a forceful response, and the enemy’s bases in the area will be targeted.” Navy added.
The US launched strikes against Iran on Wednesday and Thursday after several oil tankers were hit by missiles in the Strait of Hormuz. Although Iran has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks, it has previously said that all ships passing through the waterway must follow IRGC orders and use a special shipping lane.
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