Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption is transported, sharply escalating tensions in the region.
The remarks were made by Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabari, adviser to the commander of the IRGC, in comments broadcast on Iranian state television.
“The price of oil has reached $81 and the world is certainly waiting for it to reach at least $200. The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Our heroes in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and the Army will set fire to any ships that wish to pass through this strait,” Jabari said.
He further warned that Iran would target oil pipelines in the region and prevent oil exports until what he described as pressure is exerted on its adversaries.
“We’ll also target their oil pipelines in the region, and we will not allow oil exports from this region until we put pressure on the enemy. The Americans have debts of hundreds of thousands of billions of dollars, and they are thirsty for the region’s oil. They will not get a single drop,” he added.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. Any sustained disruption to traffic through the passage could have significant consequences for global oil markets and energy security.
