DistantNews
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Conflict & Security

Iran Threatens to Close Strait of Hormuz Again Amid US Blockade

From Tempo · (1d ago) Indonesian Critical tone

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz again if the US naval blockade continues, viewing it as a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
  • The conditional opening of the strait involved allowing commercial ships passage under specific Iranian-controlled conditions, which Iran claims are being violated.
  • US President Donald Trump affirmed the continuation of the blockade, stating the ceasefire deal could end if an agreement to cease hostilities is not reached by Wednesday.

Tehran has issued a stark warning: the Strait of Hormuz could be closed once more should the United States persist with its naval blockade. This threat, reported by Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stems from Tehran's assertion that the blockade constitutes a breach of the recently brokered ceasefire agreement. The situation is particularly sensitive given the strait's critical role as a global oil chokepoint.

With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open.

— Mohammad B. GhalibafChairman of the Iranian Parliament, warning about the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to sources close to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Iran had initially agreed to a limited opening of the Strait of Hormuz as part of a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire plan. This involved permitting a certain number of ships to pass daily. However, this policy was reportedly halted when the ceasefire failed to extend to Lebanon and did not encompass Hezbollah and Israel. Iran subsequently reopened the strait under specific conditions: ships must be commercial, military vessels are prohibited, and cargo must not be linked to adversarial nations. Furthermore, vessels must adhere to designated routes and coordinate passage with Iranian forces managing traffic.

Until our deal with Iran is completely finished 100 percent.

— Donald TrumpUS President, stating the US naval blockade will continue.

This conditional reopening underscores Iran's intent to maintain stringent control over this vital maritime passage. The conflicting statements from Iranian officials, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi initially declaring the waterway "fully open" for commercial vessels shortly after the ceasefire's expansion to Lebanon, followed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad B. Ghalibaf's assertion that "the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open" if the blockade continues, highlight the volatile nature of the situation. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has reiterated that the blockade on Iranian ports remains in full effect, warning that the ceasefire agreement could collapse if a resolution is not reached by Wednesday, despite having previously welcomed the strait's opening.

The waterway is fully open for commercial ships.

— Abbas AraghchiIranian Foreign Minister, initially stating the Strait of Hormuz was open for trade.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog