Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran's Navy on Friday detected a burning oil tanker east of the Strait of Hormuz, saying the vessel had disabled its tracking systems while attempting to cross a prohibited zone in the Gulf of Oman, according to Iranian state media.

The Navy did not identify the tanker or explain the cause of the fire.

Iranian Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia separately said US warships were staying more than 500 kilometers from Iran's coastline and that Tehran had operational plans to push them farther away. He also accused US forces of forcing commercial vessels to use a southern route through the Strait of Hormuz that put them at risk of damage, and urged shipowners to follow Tehran's designated route and coordinate their passage with Iranian forces.

Iranian Army Commander Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami said joint monitoring by the Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had prevented US warships from entering the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz. Shipping through the waterway had become severely limited, he said, attributing this to damage to enemy bases and reduced surveillance and operational capabilities, and declared Iranian forces ready for further fighting.

On October 15, US President Donald Trump told Newsmax that Washington remained in talks with Tehran but raised the possibility of further strikes on a suspected nuclear site at Iran's Pickaxe Mountain. He ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran.