Iran closes Strait of Hormuz after warning shots, hours after US ultimatum deadline expires

Strait closure announced

In the early hours of Sunday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared the Strait of Hormuz closed "until further notice" to all shipping. The move followed an episode in which a vessel that had "switched off its systems" and endangered maritime safety was struck by a warning shot and forced to stop by IRGC naval units. In a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, the Guards directly linked the shutdown to outside interference.

Because of the security breach caused by the illegal intervention of foreign powers, the Strait of Hormuz is closed until further notice and until US interventions in the region cease; no vessel will be allowed to pass.

The Iranian authorities added that any attempt to force open an "illegal route" would trigger a robust reaction.

US ultimatum and military escalation

The closure was announced mere hours after a US ultimatum expired. Washington had given Tehran until Saturday, July 11, to declare publicly that it would allow "unrestricted, safe, and free" navigation through the strait, according to official US sources. The deadline passed without any Iranian concession. The Associated Press then reported that the US military said it had begun attacking Iranian targets in direct response to the firing on a civilian vessel in the strait.

The IRGC, for its part, warned that "any mistake by the enemy" would provoke a severe retaliation and that "new enemy bases in the region will be targeted."

Any mistake against Tehran will be met with a severe response, and the new enemy bases in the region will be targeted by our attacks.

Diplomatic collapse over sanctions

Hours before the maritime incident, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had accused the United States of "violating paragraph 9 of the memorandum of understanding" that the two countries signed on 17 June. That MoU was designed to end the ongoing war, unlock the Strait of Hormuz, and open negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme. Washington's latest move (imposing new sanctions on individuals in the close circle of Mojtaba Khamenei, whom Iranian state media repeatedly refer to as the supreme leader) was described by Araqchi as a fresh breach.

The United States' failure to comply with the agreement adds to other violations and mistakes by the North American country.

The June deal had already been strained by a week of cross‑border strikes in the Middle East, and Saturday's sequence of events appears to have shattered any remaining goodwill.

Threats to foreign bases

The IRGC communiqué extended its warnings beyond the waterway, stating that "the consequences of any intervention are the responsibility of the American-Zionist enemy and the countries that have ceded their territory for the launching of threats." This language raises the prospect that Gulf states hosting US military installations could be drawn into any broader confrontation. The Guards made clear that the closure would remain in effect until American "interventions" in the entire region stopped, and that any attempt to reopen the strait by force would meet a military answer.

A lifeline under pressure

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important maritime corridors for oil and natural gas. It links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, and even a partial disruption can send shockwaves through crude markets. With the strait now declared off‑limits by Iranian forces, traders will be watching Monday's Asian trading session for immediate price impacts. There was no indication from either Iran's navy or the IRGC of a schedule for reviewing the closure order.