Tehran [Iran], March 12 (ANI): The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Naval Force has said that vessels seeking to sail through the Strait of Hormuz must obtain Iran’s approval or risk becoming targets of Iranian attacks.
Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said two ships that ignored Iran’s warnings were targeted in the Strait on Wednesday.
“Were the ships assured of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz? This should be asked of the crews of the vessels Express Rome and Mayuree Naree, who today, trusting in empty promises, ignored the warnings and intended to cross the Strait but were caught. Any vessel intending to pass must obtain permission from Iran,” the Iranian general said in a post on X.
According to Iranian state media, Iran has intensified restrictions on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing US-Israeli strikes. Iran has said vessels not serving the interests of the United States and Israel can sail through safely.
More than 20 million barrels of crude oil pass daily through the narrow channel separating the Iranian coast from Oman. That volume represents roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption and nearly a quarter of all seaborne oil trade.
A significant share of the world’s liquefied natural gas also moves through the same passage. Even brief disruptions to that flow can trigger widespread consequences across financial markets, supply chains, and household energy costs around the world.
Meanwhile, in a move to counter the fallout from restricted fuel supplies, the United States Department of Energy announced plans to release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve beginning next week following significant volatility in oil prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In a post on X, the department said the distribution process would take approximately 120 days to complete based on planned discharge rates.
Global oil prices have climbed steadily since February 28, when US and Israeli forces initiated airstrikes against Iran. The strikes, which reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s former supreme leader, have pushed the region into a deeper state of conflict.
Iranian retaliatory actions involving drones and missiles have disrupted shipping through the Strait, leaving global leaders struggling to mitigate the economic consequences.
Earlier, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced the release of 400 million barrels of oil from the emergency reserves of its 32 member countries to address supply disruptions caused by the conflict.
The emergency stocks will be released to the market based on the national circumstances of each member country and will be supplemented by additional emergency measures by some governments.
IEA member countries collectively hold more than 1.2 billion barrels in emergency reserves, along with around 600 million barrels of industry stocks maintained under government obligations. (ANI)
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