Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced this Sunday (12) the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for an indefinite period, after firing warning shots at a vessel that, according to Iranian authorities, was sailing through an unauthorized route.
Iran closes Strait of Hormuz and threatens to attack US bases
Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced this Sunday (12) the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for an indefinite period, after firing warning shots at a vessel that, according to Iranian authorities, was sailing through an...
In a statement released by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the military force stated that the ship was hit by warning shots and forced to stop sailing.
"In view of this incident and the insecurity caused by the illegal intervention of foreign forces, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until further notice and until the end of US actions in the region. No vessel will be authorized to cross the passage," the note said.
The Revolutionary Guard also threatened to attack US military bases in the Gulf region. According to the statement, any foreign attempt to reopen a route considered illegal will receive a blunt response.
The decision was reportedly taken after several vessels ignored warnings to sail exclusively through the corridor authorized by Iranian authorities.
The announcement came just hours after Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, accused the United States of failing to comply with the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries.
According to Araqchi, Washington violated paragraph 9 of the agreement by imposing new sanctions against members of the close circle of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader.
The chancellor stated that the measure represents yet another breach of the commitment signed between the parties and adds to other violations attributed to the North American government.
The United States and Iran signed, on June 17, a memorandum intended to end the war, free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and begin negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. In recent days, however, the two countries have returned to exchanging attacks in the Middle East.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's main maritime routes for transporting oil and natural gas. The passage connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean.
Iran says it has complied with ceasefire and accuses US of violating agreement
Tehran claims that it respected the commitments made, while Donald Trump considers the truce to be over. Tensions rose again after new attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of sanctions on Iranian oil
Source: Noticias ao Minuto - Ultima Hora
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