Iran says it is stopping six merchant ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.Image: keystone
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they have stopped six merchant ships from passing through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
July 26, 2026, 09:44July 26, 2026, 09:44
According to the agency Tasnim, which is close to them, the Guards said they were asserting control over a 240,000 square kilometer area in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. This area corresponds to around two thirds of the German national territory.
It was said that no ship could pass without complying with Iranian regulations. Attempts by the US military to change the course of ships would be met with “a decisive response and warning shots”. As a result, the affected ships were forced to turn back.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said there was no change in the traffic situation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to English-language state broadcaster PressTV. The spokesman referred to bilateral discussions with representatives of Oman, whose territorial waters include part of the international shipping route.
The dispute over transit rights on a key oil, gas and fertilizer route is seen as a key trigger for the latest escalation in the military conflict between the US and Iran. (sda/dpa)