Iran Claims Foreign Vessel Stuck in Strait of Hormuz Amid Control Dispute

Iranian state media reported on Wednesday that a foreign ship became stuck in the Strait of Hormuz after deviating from the navigation route designated by Iran. This incident occurs amid heightened tensions, as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to close the strait again if negotiations in Doha do not guarantee Iran exclusive control over the waterway.

According to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, the IRGC demands that the United States and other countries abandon plans to route ships through the southern passage near Oman, which is supported by Washington. Iran views the Strait of Hormuz as a critical strategic and economic asset and seeks to establish a toll system for vessels passing through, justifying it as funding for security and environmental protection. Iranian officials have privately estimated that such a mechanism could generate approximately $40 billion annually.

This Iranian threat coincides with statements from Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who claimed that since the lifting of the maritime embargo, Iran has exported over 40 million barrels of oil. He asserted that oil sanctions have been lifted and that Iran is selling oil at a 20% premium. Ghalibaf warned that if the United States attempts to block Iran’s oil sales, Tehran will respond forcefully, stating, "If the United States wants to fight, we also know well how to fight. If they intend to prevent us from selling oil, no one will benefit from the oil."