By Sabiu Abdullahi
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route, and warned that any vessel attempting to pass through the waterway will face attack.
According to Iranian media reports cited by Reuters on Monday, Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the commander-in-chief of the IRGC, confirmed the decision and issued a direct warning to maritime traffic.
“The strait (of Hormuz) is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guards and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze,” Jabari said in remarks carried by state media.
If enforced, the measure would stop commercial vessels from moving through one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. The Strait of Hormuz serves as the narrow entrance to the Gulf. Roughly one-fifth of global oil exports pass through the channel.
Oil tankers that navigate the route transport crude and gas supplies from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. The northern coastline of the strait lies along Iranian territory.
Any interruption along the Strait of Hormuz has serious consequences for international energy markets. A prolonged closure would disrupt oil shipments and could drive up prices worldwide.
