İran threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz in the face of new US attacks

The İran government has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if the Amerika Birleşik Devletleri carries out potential new attacks. According to information obtained from sources close to the matter by the İran state television Press TV, Tahran considers this step as a retaliation. It was reported that İran would retaliate if the threats made by US President Donald Trump during the NATO summit were to be implemented. İran officials explicitly announced that they would respond to any attack with at least double the force. This situation has created a massive wave of concern worldwide regarding energy supply and regional security.

The Strait of Hormuz is known as one of the most critical and busiest maritime routes for global oil trade. Approximately twenty percent of the world's oil trade is transported through this waterway. Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tahran last month, the strait had been reopened to traffic. İran's threat to close this strategic point could cause serious fluctuations in international oil prices. Such a scenario holds the potential for a crisis that would deeply affect global energy markets and international maritime trade.

The successive threats stem from the statements made by US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara. Trump stated that they initially agreed to halt attacks while the funeral ceremonies for the former İran Religious Leader Ayetollah Ali Khamenei were ongoing. It is indicated that with the conclusion of the funeral ceremonies on Thursday, tensions in the region could escalate once again. The İran government is using the end of the funeral period as an opportunity to continue its military and political preparations. The international community, meanwhile, is trying to encourage both parties toward diplomacy and dialogue during this process.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shared the details of its retaliation strategies in the event of a potential conflict with the public. The US Armed Forces carried out a series of airstrikes against targets in the region the previous night, claiming that İran attacked commercial ships passing through the strait. During this bombardment, massive explosions were reported in the port cities of Sirik and Bandar Abbas, as well as on the islands of Keşm and Carg. The mentioned islands stand out as regions where İran's main oil infrastructure is located and are critically strategic. İran media claimed that these attacks aimed to damage the country's economic and military infrastructure.

İran's threat to retaliate twofold elevates tensions with the Amerika Birleşik Devletleri to a new peak. During the NATO summit held in the capital Ankara, world leaders closely monitored this rising tension in the region. The US increasing its military presence in the region and İran's commitment to respond harshly to this bring along the risk of a hot conflict. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) announcement of its preparations aims to convey the message to other world powers that attacks will be punished. Global powers have put their emergency plans on the table against the scenario of the Strait of Hormuz being closed.