Video: Strait of Hormuz closed to enemy tankers, Iran clarifies
Abdullateef Fowewe
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi clarified that the Strait of Hormuz remains accessible to neutral shipping but off-limits to adversarial vessels, escalating rhetoric as U.S.-Iran frictions intensify over alleged recent aggressions.
“The Strait of Hormuz is open; it is only closed to tankers and ships that belong to our enemies,” Araghchi stated, underscoring Tehran’s stance without committing to a full blockade.
The comments come five days after a U.S. initiative to insure tankers transiting the vital waterway, driven by market fears of disruption.
Iran has explicitly denied any plans to shutter the strait, though the language revives memories of 2019 threats that briefly spiked global oil prices by 4-5%.
The strait, which handles 21% of global oil trade according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data, serves as a strategic lever for Tehran—deterring escalation while avoiding immediate economic blowback to itself.
