Move comes amid U.S. military pressure and second round of nuclear talks.
On Tuesday, Iran will close parts of the Strait of Hormuz for several hours during naval exercises, the Fars news agency, which is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“Parts of the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed for several hours today to comply with security and navigation principles during the ‘Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz’ exercise,” Fars said on X. The Iranian news agency, however, did not provide further details on the duration of the closure or which areas will be closed to maritime traffic.
On Monday, the “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz” drills began with warships, helicopters, drones and missiles, focusing on “rapid reaction” to “conspiracies against security.” During periods of tension with the West, Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strategic strait, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes.
“The decision to close the Strait of Hormuz rests with the highest authorities of the system, and I, as a soldier, say we are ready to do so when our authorities order it,” said the IRGC Navy Commander, Adm. Alireza Tangsiri, who is in the Strait of Hormuz supervising the exercises.
The partial closure of the strait comes as Iran and the United States hold a second round of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, conducted under U.S. threats of military intervention against the Islamic Republic if no agreement is reached.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group to Middle Eastern waters and has ordered the dispatch of another carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to pressure Tehran.
During the 12-day war in June 2025, the United States bombed Iran’s three main nuclear facilities in support of Israel, a country that is now seeking to limit the range of Iranian missiles.
The negotiations are taking place amid one of the tensest moments in the 47-year history of the Islamic Republic, following protests last month, when the United States and Israel attempted to bring about a “regime change” to end the political system founded by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
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