Iranian officials, including the IRGC and a vice foreign minister, said U.S. pressure and foreign naval activity prevent reopening, and warned British and French mine-clearing warships could become targets.
Iran hardened its stance on the Strait of Hormuz, saying the waterway will not return to its prewar state and cannot be reopened while U.S. threats and interference persist. An Iranian vice foreign minister said allowing ships to use the southern channel would make Iran’s sovereignty over the passage a mirage, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the strait is under the firm control of its navy and no outside power will be allowed to interfere. The IRGC also claimed two oil tankers, allegedly prompted by U.S. aircraft, tried overnight to use what it described as an unsafe route south of the strait before turning back after a major fire broke out on one vessel. Iran further warned France and Britain that any deployment of their warships for mine-clearing in the strait would make those vessels legitimate targets. The comments followed CENTCOM’s statement that U.S. forces had carried out a heavy wave of strikes against Iran in response to what it described as attempted missile attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East, underscoring continued risks for shipping and energy markets around the strategic maritime chokepoint.