Tehran: Iran’s Navy has issued a fresh warning to oil tankers against entering a restricted maritime zone east of the Strait of Hormuz after a vessel reportedly struck a naval mine, caught fire and became immobilised while attempting to navigate the prohibited waters.
According to Iran’s state news agency ISNA, the Navy said the tanker had switched off its tracking and identification systems while sailing through an area previously declared unsafe and restricted by Iranian authorities.
In a strongly worded statement on Saturday, the Navy cautioned that vessels entering the prohibited zone could suffer a similar fate. It also accused tanker owners of putting their assets at risk by relying on assurances from US President Donald Trump.
"It is regrettable that tanker owners, without learning from the fate of other rogue vessels, trusting the nonsense of the criminal US president, are sending their capital to the mine war and throwing it into the fire," the Navy's public relations department said, as quoted by ISNA.
The warning follows separate claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy that two oil tankers attempting to cross the southern Strait of Hormuz without authorisation had struck naval mines and exploded, triggering fires aboard the vessels.
In a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC Navy alleged that the tankers had switched off their radar and Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to evade detection while attempting to use a prohibited shipping route.
The force also warned international shipping companies against attempting to transit the strategic waterway without prior coordination with its Traffic Control Centre and compliance with arrangements laid down by Iranian authorities.
Strait of Hormuz Emerges as Major FlashpointThe latest maritime incidents come amid heightened military tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, with the Strait of Hormuz increasingly emerging as a critical flashpoint in the conflict.
Iran has imposed restrictions on maritime traffic through the waterway following the US-Israeli military campaign against the country, which began on February 28. Tehran maintains that vessels must secure authorisation from Iranian authorities before attempting passage.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most strategically important energy corridors, serving as a key transit route for a substantial share of global oil shipments. Any disruption to commercial shipping through the narrow waterway carries significant implications for international energy markets and maritime trade.
Iran Claims US Radar Installation Destroyed; CENTCOM Denies DamageThe latest warnings to commercial shipping also follow Iran's claim that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force destroyed a US early-warning radar installation in Bahrain.
Tehran said the alleged strike was carried out in retaliation for an American attack on telecommunications infrastructure in Iran's Sirik region.
However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the claim, saying Iranian attack drones targeting Bahrain had been intercepted before causing any damage.
In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said: "The IRGC launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain, and both were shot down by US forces. There were no injuries or damage."
With competing military claims, fresh maritime restrictions and reports of naval mine incidents, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue to raise concerns over the safety of international shipping and the stability of global energy supplies.