Iran’s forces force oil tanker to retreat from Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN, March 19 (YPA) – The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on the “True Promise 4” operations that its naval forces forced a large Barbados-flagged oil tanker, carrying about 160,000 tons, to turn back and refrain from transiting the Strait of Hormuz after attempting to defy declared restrictions.

According to the statement, the vessel changed course and withdrew rapidly as Iranian units moved to a state of high alert, a move Tehran described as evidence of its on-the-ground control over the strategic waterway.

The IRGC added that the incident goes beyond halting a single ship, framing it as a message to regional and international actors that any opposing move would face an immediate response, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz is now governed by new power dynamics imposed by Tehran.

AA