Tensions Rise as Iran Threatens to Block Strait of Hormuz

An EU official reports receiving VHF transmissions from Iran's Revolutionary Guards forbidding ships from passing the Strait of Hormuz. This crucial oil route connects Gulf oil producers to global waters. Iran has historically threatened closure in retaliation for attacks, though no formal order has been confirmed.

In a development underscoring the fragility of Middle Eastern maritime security, an official from the European Union's naval mission Aspides revealed on Saturday that vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz have received alarming VHF transmissions. According to these communications, Iran's Revolutionary Guards have decreed that no ship may pass through this critical waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is recognized as the world's most essential oil export corridor, linking leading Gulf oil producers—including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates—with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, the official reported that Iran has not yet issued a formal confirmation of this order. Historically, Tehran has threatened to obstruct the passageway in retaliation for potential attacks against the Islamic Republic.