Iran’s IRGC to conduct live‑fire drills in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval forces will conduct live-fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz on February 1 and 2.

This announcement comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, as Iran on January 29 warned it would deliver a “crushing response” to any attack following US President Donald Trump’s statement that time is running out for a nuclear deal, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The United States and Iran have exchanged sharp warnings after recent protests in Iran prompted Trump to threaten military action over the government’s violent crackdown, while Tehran accused the US of stoking what it labelled “riots.” 

Earlier this week, Mohammad Akbarzadeh, political deputy of the IRGC naval forces, hinted at the possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway that channels roughly 20 percent of global oil shipments—a measure Iran has threatened before but never implemented.

Akbarzadeh stated that Iran has real-time intelligence over the Strait of Hormuz, both above and below the surface, and that the security of the strategic passage depends on Tehran’s decisions. 

“We do not want the world economy to suffer, but the Americans and their supporters will not benefit from a war they start,” he added.

By Jeyhun Aghazada