Iran Guards say Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until US ends ‘acts of aggression’

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its “acts of aggression,” and warned that other regional oil export routes could also become targets.

Statement follows attacks and US strikes

The Guards said they carried out attacks on US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait following American strikes on Iranian territory, according to statements broadcast by Iranian state television IRIB.

“The enemy should know that now that its maritime raiders have blocked the Indian Ocean route for oil and gas exports to the world – thereby endangering the interests of America’s economic rivals – it should also expect the closure of other oil and gas export routes that serve the interests of the United States and its allies,”

the statement said. The Guards did not elaborate on which routes could be affected.

“Oil and gas exports from the region will either be available for everyone or for no one,”

the statement added.

Retaliation to continue until US stops actions, Guards say

In a separate statement the Revolutionary Guards said:

“The retaliatory operations of the fighters will continue, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its acts of aggression.”

US response and wider military activity

US officials have previously rejected Iranian assertions that Tehran can control navigation through the strait and have insisted international shipping routes remain open.

The United States launched strikes against Iran for the fourth day in a row, with the US military saying the latest round was aimed at “degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

A renewed US blockade on Iranian ports came into effect on Tuesday evening, preventing vessels from transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas. US Central Command said there are “more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East,” and that “American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready.”

Political rhetoric and market reaction

US President Donald Trump said in an interview broadcast on Tuesday he would expand US strikes on Iran next week to target power plants and bridges if Tehran does not make a deal. He said:

“Next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.”

Brent North Sea crude was trading 1.1% stronger at $85.68 per barrel on Wednesday morning, according to market data reported in the source article.