Iran Vows to Keep Strait of Hormuz Closed Until US Ends Aggression
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has asserted that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its “acts of aggression”. The IRGC also warned that other regional oil export routes could be targeted.
The war between the United States and Iran, which began in late February, has disrupted energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for oil and gas shipments from the Gulf region.
The IRGC said it had carried out attacks on US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait following American strikes on Iranian territory.
“The enemy must know that now that its maritime piracy vessels have blocked the Indian Ocean route for oil and gas exports to the world — thereby endangering the interests of America’s economic rivals — it must also expect the closure of other oil and gas export routes serving the interests of the United States and its allies,” the IRGC said in a statement broadcast on Iranian state television, IRIB.
It did not specify which routes might be affected.
“Oil and gas exports from this region will be available to everyone or to no one,” the IRGC added, as reported by the AFP news agency on Wednesday (15 July 2026).
In a separate statement, the Revolutionary Guards said: “The retaliatory operations of the fighters will continue, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its acts of aggression.”
US officials have previously rejected Iran’s claims that Tehran can control navigation through the strait, insisting that the international shipping lane remains open.
US President Donald Trump also asserted that no country can charge fees or tariffs on the Strait of Hormuz. He made the statement after cancelling the imposition of a 20 per cent tariff on every cargo load transported across the strategic waterway.
“We want them to make massive investments in the United States, not charge fees. And I actually like that, because in my view, no one should be charging for that strait or any other strait anywhere that involves other parts of the world,” Trump said during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Wednesday (15 July 2026).
Trump said that Gulf states have signalled their willingness to increase investment in the US rather than rely on revenue from transit fees.
“The Gulf countries will invest enormous amounts in the US, and that is very satisfying to me. In my view, that is far better,” the US President said.
Trump said he had spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
“I have spoken with them all, and they are very keen to invest more capital in the United States in record amounts, and that is certainly very welcome. This way, there are no additional fees. I do not like the concept of such fees,” he said.