TEHRAN: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its naval forces fired warning shots at four vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours and claimed the ships subsequently altered course, according to Iranian state media.
In a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB on Saturday, the IRGC said the vessels had attempted to pass through the southern part of the strategic waterway using what it described as an “illegal and unsafe route”.
“Four vessels that had intended to transit through the southern area of the Strait of Hormuz via an illegal and unsafe route were stopped over the past 24 hours after warning shots were fired by the IRGC Navy,” the statement said. The IRGC added that the vessels subsequently altered course.
Iranian authorities did not identify the vessels, disclose their nationalities or specify whether they were commercial tankers or other types of ships. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and the claims could not be independently verified.
Iran did not explain why it considered the route “illegal and unsafe”.
Strategic shipping lane under renewed scrutiny
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption passes. The narrow shipping lane connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as the primary export route for crude oil and liquefied natural gas from several Gulf producers.
According to the IRGC, the vessels were attempting to use a route south of the strait that Iran considers “illegal and unsafe”. The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States and follows a series of recent maritime security incidents in the Gulf.
Incident follows attack on tanker carrying Indian crew
The latest incident came a day after the Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker DISHA was attacked in Iranian territorial waters while carrying 28 Indian crew members.
The Indian Embassy in Tehran confirmed the incident and said all crew members were safe.
“The Embassy of India in Tehran is aware that the Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker DISHA came under attack in Iranian territorial waters earlier today,” the mission said in a statement.
It added that it remained in close contact with Iranian authorities and had confirmed the safety of all 28 Indian crew members aboard the vessel.
Iranian authorities have not disclosed the extent of any damage to the tanker, while responsibility for the attack has not been established. Officials have also not linked the tanker attack to the latest Strait of Hormuz incident, and it remains unclear whether the two events are connected.
Shipping concerns mount
The back-to-back maritime events have raised more concerns among shipping firms working in the Gulf region, where the ships were subjected to increased security threats amid regional tensions.
Any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could affect the global energy market, logistics charges, and marine insurance, owing to the large amount of oil and gas that pass through the region.
