Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy announces closure of Strait of Hormuz until further notice

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy announced early Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed until further notice after indicating that a fire struck and stopped a vessel accused of ignoring navigation orders.

The force said several vessels attempted to use an unauthorized route through the strait despite repeated warnings to change course and follow an approved passage.

It said in a statement carried by Iran’s official IRNA news agency that one vessel switched off its systems, endangering maritime security, and was struck by warning fire before being stopped.

The Revolutionary Guard Navy said the strategic waterway would remain closed until further notice and until US interventions in the region end, adding that no vessels would be allowed to pass.

It warned that any new attack against Iran would be met with a forceful response and strikes on additional “enemy” bases in the region.

The force blamed “illegal foreign interference” for the incident and held the US, Israel and countries hosting US bases responsible for the consequences of any further escalation.

In June, Tehran and Washington signed a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war that began in late February and paving the way for a lasting peace agreement.

The memorandum called for an immediate end to fighting on all fronts, the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iran, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite the agreement, the two sides exchanged attacks this week over the passage of commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The US struck targets in Iran, which responded by targeting US assets across the region.