Islamic Revolutionary Guards order Strait of Hormuz blocked

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps messaged vessels on Saturday not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz south of Iran, Reuters cited an official from the European Union’s Operation Aspides naval mission as saying.

The mission reportedly received a transmission from the IRGC that “no ship is allowed to pass” the narrow waterway.

The strait links the largest Gulf oil and gas producers with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is considered the world’s most vital oil export route.

While Tehran did not confirm that it had blocked the strait, it has threatened in the past to do so. A disruption to the global supply of crude oil could trigger a significant rise in prices.