Major General Hossein Salami, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said on April 27 that the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil artery, will only reopen when the United States accepts Iran's demands.
Speaking at a military event in Tehran, Salami emphasized: "The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the US accepts our conditions. We are not threatening, but merely issuing a strategic warning." His remarks come amid heightened tensions between the two nations following recent confrontations involving vessels in the Gulf.
Earlier, on April 25, the US Navy reported firing warning shots at fast IRGC patrol boats after they approached US warships in the northern Gulf. Iran denied the accusations, calling the US action "provocative" and a "violation of international law."
The Strait of Hormuz, situated between Iran and Oman, is a strategic sea route through which approximately one-fifth of globally consumed oil passes. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in retaliation for US sanctions targeting its oil industry.
Analysts suggest that closing Hormuz would reverberate through global energy markets, sending oil prices soaring and impacting economies worldwide. However, some experts doubt Iran's ability to carry out such a threat given the US military's superior naval presence in the region.
The US administration has yet to issue an official response to Salami's statement, but Pentagon officials have previously insisted they will protect freedom of navigation in the Gulf.
