Tehran Conditions Passage Through Hormuz
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Threatens Blockade of Key Waterway, While UAE Accuses Iran of Missile Attack on Its Tanker
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Threatens Blockade of Key Waterway, While UAE Accuses Iran of Missile Attack on Its Tanker
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that the opening of the Strait of Hormuz depends solely on whether the United States accepts Iran's conditions. If not, the strategically vital oil transport route will remain closed, and the Iranian military is prepared to maintain the blockade for as long as necessary.
The statement comes amid rising regional tensions, and on the same day, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a U.S. ally, accused Iran of directly attacking its tanker while it was passing through the same strait.
According to a statement relayed on Telegram by Boris Rozhin (Colonel Cassad), the IRGC is clear in its intentions. "The opening of the Strait of Hormuz depends solely on the U.S. accepting Iran's conditions. If the U.S. does not accept Iran's conditions, the strait will remain closed. The IRGC is ready to keep the strait closed for as long as they deem necessary, and the required military resources are available," the statement reads.
Iran's military leadership also emphasizes that it will not allow navigation under conditions different from its own plans, which intend to include neighboring Oman based on an already signed agreement.
In a parallel development, the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday that a tanker owned by the national Emirati oil company Adnoc was struck by a projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The attack, which they attribute to Iran, resulted in no casualties.
"The use of the Strait of Hormuz as a means of pressure or economic blackmail (...) poses a direct threat to the stability of the region and its population, as well as to global energy security," the Emirati ministry stated.
The UAE has called on Iran to "cease these aggressive attacks," and the entire incident further heightens the already high tensions between Tehran and Western allies in the Middle East.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil transport, and any prolonged blockade or continued attacks on commercial vessels could severely shake energy markets. Although this crisis has no direct connection to Croatia, the indirect impact on fuel prices and the European Union's energy stability is inevitable in the event of further escalation.
