Iran has effectively sealed the strategic Strait of Hormuz, with a high-ranking military official confirming to state-affiliated Fars News Agency that the vital waterway remains entirely closed to maritime traffic and that no transit permits will be issued under the current security climate.
The source asserted that the ongoing hostile actions by the United States leave Tehran with no choice but to maintain the blockade, stressing that the Iranian Armed Forces retain complete operational command over the pivotal chokepoint. Any future decision to reopen the strait, the official noted, is strictly contingent upon a fundamental shift in regional security dynamics and will be dictated solely by Iran’s national security calculus.
The military official further cautioned that continued military escalation and external threats preclude any possibility of reopening at this juncture. Holding unnamed parties accountable for fomenting regional instability, the source warned that those responsible for fueling tensions bear full culpability for any disruption to maritime traffic and the subsequent economic repercussions.
As approximately one-fifth of global petroleum consumption transits the Strait of Hormuz daily, the prolonged closure threatens to inject significant volatility into global energy markets, with Tehran signaling that the status quo will persist until its security concerns are comprehensively addressed.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)