Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned overnight that any attempt by military vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz will be dealt with severely. “The IRGC Naval Force powerfully has full smart control over the Strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC said in a statement. The statement underlined that only civilian vessels are allowed to pass through the Strait under specific conditions. It also denied media reports about American vessels passing through the Strait, saying, “Any attempt by military vessels to pass through (the strait) will be dealt with severely and decisively.”
Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement this morning of a blockade, the IRGC, as reported by two semi-official Iranian news agencies, reiterated that the Strait was still under their “full control,” that it was open for non-military vessels, that military vessels attempting to approach the Strait will be seen as violating the ceasefire agreement and would receive a “forceful response.”
Earlier, the Iranian Armed Forces categorically denied CENTCOM’s claim about U.S. ships’ operation in the Strait of Hormuz. “The claim of the CENTCOM commander that American vessels are approaching and entering the Strait of Hormuz is strongly denied,” Spokesman of the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters said April 11.
Centcom had claimed in a statement issued during the day on April 11 that it had begun “setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz,” by sending the guided missile destroyers USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) to transit the Strait. “Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.
Unnamed U.S. officials told the New York Times on April 10 that Iran has been unable to open the Strait of Hormuz to more shipping traffic because it cannot locate all of the mines it laid in the waterway and lacks the capability to remove them. They say this is one reason Iran has not been able to quickly comply with the Trump administration’s admonitions to let more traffic pass through the Strait.
According to a Reuters report on April 11, three oil tankers, one Greek and two Chinese, transited the Strait outbound with full cargoes of oil, but “none are carrying oil from the Islamic Republic or have obvious, direct links to the country.” Rather, two of the tankers were carrying Saudi crude while the third had loaded in Iraq.
