Iran threatens to block ‘illegal’ routes through Strait of Hormuz
Quick Look
- Iran has threatened to block what it calls 'illegal' oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, asserting full control of the vital energy waterway despite US claims it remains open.
- IRGC commander Mohammad Reza Naqdi said transit routes along Oman's coast would be closed, calling the shipments smuggling.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio countered that oil flows have nearly returned to pre-conflict levels, while President Trump said US military assistance has raised daily flows above 20 million barrels.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital global energy route, normally carrying about a fifth of world oil and LNG shipments. Traffic has been severely disrupted since the US-Israeli conflict with Iran began in late February, contributing to higher energy prices. Iran has previously linked strait access to easing of US military pressure and port blockades.
Iran has threatened to block what it calls “illegal” traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, saying it retains full control of the passage despite US claims to the contrary.
The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy routes, normally carrying around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Traffic through the strait has been severely disrupted since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February, driving up energy prices. Brent crude was trading at around $101 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with roughly $72 before the conflict.
Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander and adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said on Wednesday that several transit routes through the strait along Oman’s coast would soon be closed.
Naqdi said the routes had been created by blasting and damaging rocky passages and were being used by small boats to carry oil through the waterway before transferring it to tankers. He described the shipments as “smuggling” and argued that they were too limited to show that traffic through Hormuz was returning to normal.
”The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have full control over it,” Naqdi said, adding that the restrictions would remain until Tehran’s “legitimate demands” were met.
Iran has previously offered to reopen the strait if Washington eases military pressure and lifts its blockade of Iranian ports.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a sharply different assessment on Wednesday, saying the strait is “open” and that Iran had “lost complete control” of Hormuz.
”There’s almost as much oil flowing out now as there was before this conflict began,” Rubio told reporters.
President Donald Trump has also said the US military is helping oil shipments pass through the strait, claiming that daily flows have risen above 20 million barrels. He has blamed the global diesel shortage primarily on Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries rather than the Middle East conflict and has urged Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to halt the attacks.
Regional crude exports have rebounded significantly. A seven-day moving average reached 18.3 million barrels per day on September 30, according to provisional Kpler data cited by Reuters. The figure includes oil shipped through routes other than Hormuz.
Security risks in the strait remain high. The Panamanian-flagged tanker On Peace was hit by a projectile near Oman on Tuesday, injuring 12 crew members, according to the Indian authorities. No group has claimed responsibility.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Iran will follow through on threats to close additional transit routes through the Strait of Hormuz along Oman's coast
Likely · Within days
Global oil prices will remain elevated or increase further if strait disruptions persist
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific 'legitimate demands' must Iran have met to reopen the strait?
- How credible are the conflicting claims about actual oil flow levels through the strait?
- Will the attack on the tanker On Peace lead to increased international naval presence in the area?
