Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the country’s naval forces fired a cruise missile at a vessel it accused of using an unauthorised route through the strategic waterway.
According to the BBC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the vessel was hit with warning fire after allegedly ignoring several instructions from Iranian forces. The military said the ship was eventually stopped following the confrontation.
The development came as the United States launched a new wave of strikes after Iranian forces reportedly attacked the vessel. In response, the IRGC announced that the key shipping route would remain closed indefinitely and said it had launched attacks against US bases and allied positions in the region.
In a statement released by Tasnim News Agency, an outlet linked to the IRGC, Iranian authorities accused foreign powers of disrupting the strategic waterway through what they described as unauthorised maritime activity.
The IRGC said the incident led to the decision to suspend movement through the strait.
“Given the precariousness that was caused by this unlawful interference by outside parties, the Strait of Hormuz is to be closed until further notice and until regional interference by the US ceases,” the statement read.
“No vessel or naval craft will be allowed to pass.”
The Iranian military warned that any attempt by the United States to respond to the closure would face a strong reaction, adding that regional military bases could become targets if what it called further aggression occurred.
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Meanwhile, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator with Washington, said the country would no longer accept unequal agreements.
“We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking,” Ghalibaf wrote on X.
In June, the **United States and Iran reached an agreement aimed at ending conflict across the Middle East, including tensions involving Lebanon, while also reopening the crucial shipping route. However, the deal provided limited details on the long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Washington and Islamabad had said the agreement was expected to be signed in Switzerland, raising hopes of a significant step towards ending months of fighting that had claimed thousands of lives and affected global energy markets.
Despite the agreement, efforts to secure lasting peace have faced repeated challenges, with both Iranian and US forces continuing retaliatory strikes during the period.