Iran closes Strait of Hormuz again as US blockade tightens

The Strait of Hormuz remained closed to commercial shipping on Saturday as Iran said the blockade by the United States breaches a current ceasefire and vowed to keep the waterway shut while the standoff endures. Some vessels had managed to pass through the strait when it was briefly opened, but Tehran signaled it would close again, directing the IRGC to prevent traffic from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. The move comes just days after Iran’s foreign minister suggested the strait had been temporarily reopened in talks, a development Tehran later described as not yet accepted. In the meantime, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy warned that approaching the Strait of Hormuz would be treated as cooperation with the enemy and that any offending vessel would be targeted.

The United States has maintained a naval presence to enforce the blockade, saying that several ships were turned away since enforcement began, and the two-week ceasefire in effect since mid-April could be affected by the latest actions. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the closure violated the ceasefire and that it would not reopen the strait while the pact remained in place. It also noted that new proposals from the United States were under review, with Tehran not yet responding.

Analysts warn the renewed closure could heighten tensions and push global energy prices higher, given the strait’s strategic role in international shipping and oil flows. The situation underscores the fragility of efforts to de-escalate a long-running dispute, even as China, Europe, and regional players watch closely for any shift that could disrupt markets. Diplomacy remains on the table, but for now the strait is off-limits to routine traffic, and the security standoff shows no immediate sign of resolution.

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