Iran's military shut down the Strait of Hormuz just one day after reopening it, as the United States and Iran failed to find common ground with their ceasefire deadline approaching.
On Wednesday (local time), Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) posted a statement on its propaganda outlet, declaring that it would "consider any attempt to access the Strait of Hormuz as cooperation with the enemy and attack such vessels," announcing the strait's closure effective that day. The move came just one day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared on X (formerly Twitter) that "navigation of all commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz is fully permitted during the remaining ceasefire period." The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that it had received reports of successive attacks on a tanker and a container ship bound for India near the Strait of Hormuz that day.
The IRGC cited the U.S. blockade of Iranian vessels and ports as justification for closing the strait again. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the U.S. military is preparing to seize Iran-linked vessels not only in the Strait of Hormuz but also in international waters around the world to force Iran to abandon its nuclear program. Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Military Headquarters, which commands the Iranian military, also cited the U.S. blockade against Iran that day and said it would reimpose control over ship passage through the strait.
Iran's decision to once again play the maritime blockade card is interpreted as stemming from the recognition that it should not relinquish its most powerful negotiating leverage with the ceasefire deadline of the 21st (the 22nd Iran time) fast approaching. Some interpret the move as hardliners in the Iranian military effectively issuing a warning to the negotiating team, including Foreign Minister Araghchi. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, marking "Iran's Army Day," emphasized that "just as Iran's drones strike like lightning at America and the Zionist criminals (Israel), the valiant navy is also prepared to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies."
However, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that day, "There has been progress in negotiations, but many differences still remain," suggesting that dialogue with the United States has not been severed. Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said, "The United States recently presented a new proposal through Pakistan," adding, "We are reviewing it and have not yet responded."
U.S. President Donald Trump had expressed confidence as recently as the 17th, saying "we will reach a deal in a day or two," but on the 18th assessed that "Iran is being a bit tricky." Trump said the ceasefire negotiations with Iran "are going pretty well and are actually proceeding smoothly," but immediately convened a White House Situation Room meeting to discuss the reclosure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Estimated at a staggering 'quadrillions'? The money Iran has been unable to recover for 45 years.
