Iran accuses US of closing southern shipping route through Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has accused the United States of forcibly closing a southern shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the waterway is now unsafe for maritime traffic. The accusation, made on Sunday, suggests Washington has acted in coordination with unspecified regional actors to restrict passage through one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.

The Strait of Hormuz, which separates Iran from Oman, handles roughly one-third of global seaborne oil trade and is a vital chokepoint for international commerce. Iran’s assertion that the US has made the southern passage unsafe signals heightened tensions in the strategic waterway, which has been subject to increasing military presence and occasional maritime incidents in recent years.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s statement reflects broader regional tensions, though it did not provide specific evidence or details about what actions the US and its alleged regional partners had taken. The claim appears designed to portray American influence in the region as destabilising and to suggest that Western powers are restricting Iranian maritime interests.

The accusation comes amid ongoing geopolitical friction between Washington and Tehran, with shipping in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters remaining a focal point of international concern.

Source: Walla News — Original article in Hebrew.