Countries to which Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz open

❐ International Desk

Amidst the turmoil in the global oil market, Iran has announced new decisions regarding the Strait of Hormuz, known as the ‘gateway to world energy’.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of the country’s defense forces, has announced that ships from the United States, Israel, European countries and their allies will not be able to pass through the international commercial waterway of the Strait of Hormuz.

However, the IRGC said that the ban will not apply to ships from countries that are not allies of the United States or Israel.

IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Qomars Heydari confirmed this information to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News yesterday.

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, is one of the most important routes for international energy trade. About 20 percent of the world’s daily oil and LPG shipments pass through the strait.

This is why the Strait of Hormuz is often called the ‘gateway to the world’s energy’. Oil-producing countries in the Middle East mainly use this route to export their oil to various countries. Without the Strait of Hormuz, Middle Eastern oil would not be easily supplied to the Western world.

The IRGC has been issuing warnings to the crews of ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict with the US and Israel began on February 28. Several ships have already been attacked.

According to data from the British organization UK Maritime Operations, at least 10 oil tankers have been attacked since February 28th.