Iran's Revolutionary Guard announces that it is closing the Strait of Hormuz again

Although Iran announced this Friday the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in response to the 10-day truce agreed in Lebanon, this Saturday it has backtracked and announced that it will re-impose "strict control" over the passage. This plot twist comes after the United States maintained the blockade against Iranian ports yesterday. "Control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state and this strategic waterway is under strict management and control by the Armed Forces," announced the spokesman for the Jatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfagari, in a statement collected by the Tasnim agency.

The announcement by the military spokesman implies strong restrictions on maritime traffic in one of the world's main energy corridors. The Strait of Hormuz is key for the passage of hydrocarbons; in fact, it is where 20% of the world's oil passes. Friday's announcement of the corridor's opening sank the price of oil. Specifically, Brent crude – the benchmark in Europe – fell 9.07% to $90.38 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude – the benchmark in the United States – decreased even more: by 11.45%, to $83.85. Iran's new announcement will not be reflected in commodities or markets until the respective sessions open.

Zolfagari stated that Tehran had previously allowed "limited and managed" passage of some oil and commercial vessels as a "gesture of good faith" within the framework of negotiations. According to him, however, they have decided to reverse this measure due to the continuation of the US blockade of Iranian ports. The spokesman for the Jatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters called the US stance a breach of commitment by Washington. "As long as the United States does not restore full freedom of transit for vessels from Iran and to Iran, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain under rigorous control," he asserted.

Cross-accusations

This early morning, the president of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned via the social network X that the Strait of Hormuz "will not be open" if the American blockade continues, and denounced "false claims" by the president of the United States, Donald Trump, about the strategic maritime passage and peace negotiations. "With these lies they have not won the war and, without a doubt, they will not achieve anything in the negotiations either," asserted Qalibaf, who led his country's delegation in last Saturday's negotiations with the USA in Islamabad.

The Iranian leader also pointed out that maritime traffic through the strait will be carried out according to "designated routes" and with "Iran's authorization." Trump said last night, in a speech in Arizona, that the strait is "completely open" for trade and raised the possibility of entering Iran to extract enriched uranium with excavators along with the Islamic Republic, which Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagaei rejected in an interview to state television.