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Iranian gunboats have reportedly fired on a tanker navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, following an announcement by the Iranian military to potentially close the crucial waterway due to “repeated breaches of trust.”
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued an alert stating that two gunboats belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had fired at the vessel during its transit through the strait.
Fortunately, both the crew and the tanker have been reported safe, although details regarding any potential damage remain unclear. The advisory did not disclose the nationality of the tanker.
This incident marks a surprising turn of events, as both sides had recently been on the verge of negotiating an agreement to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, with protection provided by a coalition of nations allied with the United States.
The Iranian military has announced the reimplementation of restrictions on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, citing “repeated breaches of trust” by the United States in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the Strait was open to traffic, but within hours Iranian state media confirmed the “full supervision of Iranian armed forces over the passage of ships, and such passage is considered null and void if the alleged naval blockade continues”.
US President Donald Trump has insisted a naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain in place until a full agreement is reached with Tehran.
Iran’s navy ready to inflict “new defeats” on enemies, Supreme Leader warns in new message
A message purportedly from new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warns that Iran’s navy “stands ready to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats.”
Khamenei, who hasn’t been seen in public or released any video messages since his appointment as Iran’s Supreme Leader six weeks ago, didn’t reference any of the recent confusion over the status of the Strait of Hormuz in the written message.
Instead, it praised Iran’s army for “courageously defending the territory, waters and the flag that belongs to it.”
Only a handful of statements have been attributed to Khamenei. This one marked the occasion of Army Day, which coincided this year with the birthday of his late father, Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in joint US-Israeli airstrikes at the start of this war.
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