ISLAMABAD (MNN); Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has issued a stern warning that any vessel approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be treated as cooperating with the enemy and could be targeted.
In a statement carried by Press TV, the IRGC Navy said no ships should leave their anchorage in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman. It stressed that any movement toward the strait would be viewed as hostile cooperation.
The force also advised ship operators to rely only on official IRGC Navy communications, dismissing statements by Donald Trump regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf as lacking credibility.
According to Al Jazeera, the IRGC has declared that the strait will remain closed until the United States lifts its naval blockade.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf strongly criticized the US naval blockade, calling it a “clumsy and ignorant decision.” He also disclosed details of tense behind-the-scenes negotiations with the US, including a standoff involving an American minesweeper during talks in Islamabad.
In a televised interview, Ghalibaf said Iranian officials directly challenged US naval activities in the strait, asserting that the waterway remains under Iran’s control. He warned that US mine-clearing operations were viewed as a violation of the ceasefire and risked escalating tensions.
He further claimed that the situation was close to confrontation but de-escalated after the US backed down. Recounting the Islamabad talks, he said Iran warned the US delegation that any further movement of its minesweeper would result in it being fired upon, after which the vessel reportedly withdrew.
Separately, a senior Iranian official told CNN that Iran would prioritize vessels that comply with new transit protocols and pay security-related fees for passage through the strait.
The official added that ships failing to pay these charges would face delays, as Iran plans to regulate the limited number of vessels allowed to pass.
