Iran Announces Closure of Strait of Hormuz
Iran declared the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday after a vessel traveling on an unapproved route was struck, warning that any retaliation would be met with a severe response. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy stated that a ship jeopardizing maritime security by switching off its systems was struck and brought to a halt, without providing details about the vessel.
The IRGC said several ships attempted to transit the waterway on an unauthorized route and ignored warnings to correct their course. The strait remains closed until further notice and until the end of US interference in the region, according to the statement. Acts of aggression against Iran will face a severe response, and new enemy bases in the region will be targeted.
US Demands Free Navigation and End to Attacks
The United States is demanding that Iran publicly commit to stopping attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and ensure all lanes are open without tolls, senior US officials told reporters on Friday. US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that the US and Iran had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities, while also declaring an end to the ceasefire.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Iran, the US, Qatar, and Pakistan had agreed to negotiate in a call that mediators were trying to arrange for Saturday, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was in Oman. It was unclear whether the efforts succeeded.
Oman Mediates Talks on Safe Passage
Araqchi and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi met in Oman to exchange views on appropriate mechanisms for safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement from the Iranian foreign minister. Oman’s state news agency later said Omani and Iranian negotiators would continue talks at technical and political levels.
Oman is mediating to end a war that has destabilized the Gulf and raised global prices since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28. Before the war, about a fifth of the world’s oil supply transited through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s effective blockade has caused energy prices to surge, fueling global inflation.
Oman Proposes Draft Plan for Strait
CNN reported on Saturday that Oman made a draft proposal for the strait, including free navigation through its southern corridor in Omani territorial waters. The plan called for vessels transiting the northern corridor through Iranian territorial waters to obtain prior approval from Iran, though no tolls would be imposed. The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Qatari mediators held talks in Tehran on Friday after three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers came under fire earlier in the week, prompting the US to hit Iranian sites and Iran to respond with strikes on US military sites in Gulf states.
Iran Accuses US of Violating Ceasefire
Araqchi accused the United States of violating the ceasefire agreement; the US revoked the license authorizing the sale of Iranian crude on Tuesday after the vessels were hit. “There can only be mutual compliance,” Araqchi wrote on X on Friday.
While Iran has not claimed responsibility for the ship attacks, analysts say Tehran uses such actions to gain leverage in negotiations. The flare-up cast further doubt over the future of an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict and pushed oil prices higher, a politically sensitive issue for Trump ahead of November congressional elections.
Trump Declares Ceasefire Over
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday.
Iran Threatens Vengeance for Supreme Leader's Killing
A written statement from Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, on Saturday threatened vengeance for the death of his predecessor and father, who was killed on February 28. Released to mark funeral ceremonies for former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday, which the new leader did not attend, it said the vengeance would take place whatever happened to Iran. “We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs,” the message said.
Trump posted on Friday that he had ordered the US military to be prepared to launch thousands of missiles against Iran if Tehran attempted to assassinate him. The Wall Street Journal and other US media reported this week that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington that Iran had recently devised a plan to assassinate Trump. At the funeral ceremonies on Thursday, a huge crowd of mourners packed a courtyard, some bearing banners reading, “We Will Kill Trump.”
