Strait of Hormuz blocked again by Iran's Revolutionary Guard

2026-07-12

Reblocked by Revolutionary Guard

Iran's military elite, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has again blocked the Strait of Hormuz and said it will not allow any vessels to pass through. Iranian media reported this in the early hours of the 12th. Normalisation of the strait, a key route for energy shipments, is set to be further delayed, raising concern that the exchange with the United States will intensify.

Attack after warning ignored

According to the Revolutionary Guard, it warned several vessels after they tried to pass through an unauthorised route, but attacked them after they did not comply. It said the strait would remain closed until US interference in the region ends and that transit would not be allowed until further notice.

Retaliation and stalled talks

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, US media reported that the United States had asked Iran to declare a halt to attacks on vessels. It had warned that Iran would pay a price if it did not make a pledge by the 11th, but Iran chose attacks on vessels and a blockade of the strait rather than a halt to attacks.

In June, the United States and Iran exchanged a memorandum aimed at ending the fighting and were advancing talks toward a final agreement. They had agreed to resume negotiations after the state funeral of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but attacks again followed on the 7th and 8th.

Hardline stance to control the strait

Iran is trying to strengthen its involvement in the Strait of Hormuz once again. When the International Maritime Organization announced that it had established an evacuation corridor in coordination with Oman, many vessels headed to the routes designated by Oman. In response, the Revolutionary Guard, which seeks control of the strait, hardened its stance.

Parliament Speaker Qalibaf posted on X, formerly Twitter, on the 9th: 'The Strait of Hormuz will be opened by Iran's arrangements. Not by US threats.' It appears that plans to collect service fees and other charges in the future also remain in place.

Uncertainty after revenge statement

After the state funeral for the late Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli attack at the end of February, the Revolutionary Guard may again be tightening its control in Iran. On the 11th, Mojtaba, the current supreme leader, issued a statement saying: 'We must take revenge.'

There is a risk that attacks and retaliation will intensify further across the Middle East, and it is now even harder to see whether talks on resuming a lasting end to the fighting will restart.

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