One of three offending oil tankers attempting to pass through the unsafe route in the Strait of Hormuz caught fire, and the other two turned back, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said.
“Three oil tankers, provoked and tempted by the child-killing US army, intended to pass through the mine-laid route south of the Strait of Hormuz. After an explosion and severe fire in one of them, the other two quickly turned around and returned,” the IRGC said in a statement on Thursday morning.
“The powerful IRGC Navy emphasizes that the Strait of Hormuz is under our control and is completely closed as long as the evils of the United States in the region continue, and no oil tanker will enter or exit, and any ship that is deceived by the United States and intends to pass without coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran will suffer the same fate,” the statement said.
“We warn the aggressor and child-killing America to stop its hostile actions in this sensitive region, (and stop) endangering commercial ships, and playing with the world’s energy security.”
The IRGC warned the US to end the interventions that have no result other than an energy crisis and a decrease in agricultural fertilizers for the world.
“These evil acts will have no result for you except greater discredit and irreparable defeat that you will soon taste.”
The IRGC added that, “With God’s help, a punitive operation will be carried out for this violation you have committed.”
Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding last month to end the cycle arising from the latest bout of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic, which had begun on February 28.
Under the understanding, Iran agreed to allow fee-free maritime transit through the strait for a period of 60 days.
In compliance with the MoU, the Islamic Republic devised a special maritime route for vessels to cross the chokepoint, while warning vessels against using illegal routes.
The US has, however, been trying to escort transit through the strait along an illegal passageway, prompting the Islamic Republic to shut the corridor until Washington ended its interference in regional maritime movement.
Source: Iranian media (edite dby Al-Manar)