IRGC warns against unauthorized shipping routes through Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN, June 25 (YPA) – Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that any shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz announced by other parties without prior coordination with Iran would be considered unsafe.

In a statement, the IRGC said that any newly proposed navigation route in the strategic waterway that has not been coordinated with Tehran is unacceptable and poses serious risks to maritime traffic.

The statement stressed that safe navigation can only be ensured through officially designated shipping lanes and routes approved by Iranian authorities.

The IRGC Navy also stated that all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz are required to establish contact with its forces through the international maritime communication channel, VHF Channel 16, before entering the waterway.

It warned that vessels operating outside what it described as Iranian-designated routes or failing to comply with these procedures could face action by Iranian authorities.

The remarks come at a sensitive time following reports of a preliminary understanding between the United States and Iran, facilitated by regional mediators, concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC’s statement reflected Tehran’s insistence on maintaining a central role in regulating maritime traffic through the strategic passage and its opposition to arrangements made without its involvement.