Iran's military announces closure of Strait of Hormuz
發佈日期: 2026-04-19 20:41
TVB News
As Tehran announced the resumption of strict control over the Strait of Hormuz, it says progress has been made in negotiations with Washington but obstacles still remain in finalising a framework agreement.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked since Saturday evening local time.
In a statement carried by its official news outlet Sepah News, the Guards accused the US of breaching its commitments under the ceasefire and failing to end naval blockade against Iranian vessels and ports.
They warned no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman, and any approach to the strait would be targeted accordingly.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received multiple reports of ships that came under Iranian fire in nearby waters, including an oil tanker attacked by IRGC gunboats and a container ship that was shot by unknown object.
The foreign ministry in Tehran stated on Sunday unconditional transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz "became history" the moment the US-Israeli aggression brought military forces into its vicinity.
Speaking to reporters on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Iranian deputy foreign minister indicated Iran is not ready for face-to-face meetings with the United States because the Americans "have not abandoned their maximalist position."
Saeed Khatibzadeh said: "We were so close but there were some differences over important issues, which United States actually decided not to abandon its maximalist position. So that was the reason that we decided to first finalise this framework and then move on to in-person meetings, I can say."
The diplomat also said no date has been set for the next round of peace talks until they agree on the framework, and rejected US President Donald Trump's claims that Iran would hand over its enriched uranium to Washington.
This as President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, noted the US has "no justification" to deprive his country of its legal nuclear rights.
Iranian media quoted Pezeshkian as saying the US had not explained "what crime" Iran had committed.
Sources say the renewed Hormuz crisis erupted after the parties made progress in narrowing the gaps about Iran's uranium enrichment technology and stockpile of enriched uranium.
Meanwhile, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Iran "got a little cute" for wanting to close up the strait again, and added the country cannot blackmail the US.
