BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 30. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed unless the United States ends its threats and intervention.
The statement was issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The IRGC said that continued US threats and interference are further complicating the situation.
“The Strait of Hormuz is our territory. The IRGC Navy maintains firm control over the strait. Those who have come from thousands of kilometers away will not be allowed to interfere,” the statement said.
The IRGC also claimed that two oil tankers attempted to pass through an unsafe area of the Strait of Hormuz last night with US support. It said both vessels immediately withdrew after a major fire broke out on one of the tankers.
Earlier, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said that strikes had been carried out against dozens of targets in Iran, including military command centers, missile and unmanned aerial vehicle facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, as well as naval capabilities.
Meanwhile, as no tangible progress was made in the nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, the situation escalated on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military airstrikes against Iran. In retaliation, Iran initiated missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. installations in the region. Following these developments, a two-week ceasefire agreement was brokered on April 7 through Pakistan's mediation.
A peace memorandum was signed between Iran and the U.S. on June 18. The memorandum was signed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and U.S. President Donald Trump. The memorandum came into effect on June 19.
Meanwhile, the latest escalation in U.S.-Iranian relations began on July 8. On that day, for the first time since the signing of the memorandum between Washington and Tehran, the U.S. military carried out several waves of strikes on Iranian territory, claiming that this was in response to an attack on a merchant ship in the Strait of Hormuz. On the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the end of the ceasefire with Iran. In response, Tehran began attacking U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Oman.
