Iran’s Guards deny US claims over shipping activity in Strait of Hormuz

The public relations office of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said that no commercial vessels or oil tankers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent hours, rejecting what it described as “baseless and outright false” statements made by US officials.

In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the IRGC also warned that any maritime movements deemed inconsistent with its declared naval principles would face “serious consequences”, adding that any violating vessels would be stopped “with full force”.

Earlier, IRGC warned that maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz must comply with its newly stated rules, saying vessels that violate them would be “stopped with force,” according to Iranian state media.

The IRGC urged shipping companies and insurers to take the warning seriously, though it did not outline how the measures would be enforced.

In a separate move, the IRGC Navy released a map depicting what it described as an expanded area of control and management over the strategic waterway, highlighting heightened tensions over one of the world’s key energy transit routes.

By Aghakazim Guliyev