Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz to Shipping

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on March 3, 2026, that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed to all transit. Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, senior adviser to the IRGC commander-in-chief, said the move was a direct response to recent US and Israeli military actions. Speaking on Iranian state television, Jabbari warned, “The Strait of Hormuz has been closed. We will attack and set ablaze any ship attempting to cross.”

The strait, a 63-mile (101 km) waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, sees around 21 million barrels of oil shipped daily, roughly 20% of global crude exports. The IRGC’s threat includes both commercial vessels and oil tankers, raising the potential for significant disruption in international energy markets.

Jabbari emphasized that Iran may also target oil infrastructure. “We will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region,” he said, signaling that pipelines and export terminals could become operational targets. The warning underscores Tehran’s strategic leverage, as regional oil exports are heavily reliant on both pipeline networks and maritime shipping through the strait.