Reuters: An Iranian Revolutionary Guards senior official said on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and Iran will fire on any ship attempting to pass, according to Iranian media.“This strait is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guards and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze,” Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the Guards commander-in-chief, said in remarks carried by state media.
The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most vital oil export route, linking major Gulf producers — Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates — to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Around 20% of global daily oil consumption passes through the narrow waterway, which is about 33 kilometres (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point.
Iran’s warning follows U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. In response, Tehran fired several barrages of missiles at Gulf countries hosting U.S. military bases, including Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, and also launched missiles toward the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Oil markets have been closely watching tensions between Tehran, Washington and Israel, amid fears that a wider conflict could disrupt supplies and destabilise the region.
