Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday morning that it controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route. This is according to the AFP news agency in a statement issued on Wednesday by the state-run Iranian news agency Fars.
- The Strait of Hormuz is currently under full control of the Islamic Republic's navy, said Mohammad Akbarzadeh, an officer in the IRGC, in the statement.
The statement further states that any ships that attempt to sail through the strait risk being hit by missiles or errant drones.
The Strait of Hormuz is approximately 180 kilometers long and lies between Oman and Iran. The route has become a target for Iranian attacks in recent days after the United States and Israel launched a military operation in Iran on Saturday.
According to the Reuters news agency, about 20 percent of the world's oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz. The price of crude oil has risen sharply since the war broke out.
US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States is prepared to ensure that tankers can sail safely through the Strait of Hormuz.
- If necessary, the US Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible. Regardless, the United States will ensure a free flow of energy to the world, Trump writes.
Ebrahim Jabari is an advisor to the commander-in-chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. According to Reuters, he told Iranian media on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz was closed and that Iran would set fire to any ships that tried to pass through.
Shortly afterwards, the US military's Central Command, Centcom, said that the important shipping route remained open despite the Iranian announcement.
/ritzau/
Text, graphics, images, sound, and other content on this website are protected under copyright law. DK Medier reserves all rights to the content, including the right to exploit the content for the purpose of text and data mining, cf. Section 11b of the Copyright Act and Article 4 of the DSM Directive.
Customers with IP agreements/major customer agreements may only share Danish Offshore Industry articles internally for the purpose of handling specific cases. Sharing in connection with specific cases refers to journaling, archiving, or similar uses.
Customers with a personal subscription/login may not share Danish Offshore Industry articles with individuals who do not themselves have a personal subscription to Danish Offshore Industry.
Any deviation from the above requires written consent from DK Medier.
