Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy intercepted two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, forcing them to turn back, including a tanker carrying Iraqi oil, according to media reports.

The TankerTrackers said IRGC forces compelled two Indian-flagged ships to leave the strait, adding that gunfire was reported during the incident. One vessel was identified as a very large crude carrier transporting around two million barrels of Iraqi oil.

Separately, The Wall Street Journal cited shipowners and brokers as saying that around 20 vessels waiting to transit the strait turned back toward Oman. The ships had been positioned near Larak Island and had reportedly agreed to pay transit fees to Iran.

Earlier today, a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced the renewed closure of the strait, saying it had returned to its previous status under the control of the armed forces. The spokesperson said the waterway would remain under strict military supervision, adding that its status depends on whether the United States guarantees freedom of navigation for vessels to and from Iran.

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