Iran Tightens Grip On Strait Of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions With US

Iran has intensified efforts to assert military and administrative control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions with the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and other Gulf allies over one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.

The latest controversy erupted after Iran’s newly established Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) published a map claiming “Iranian armed forces oversight” across more than 22,000 square kilometres of waters surrounding the Strait.

The claimed maritime zone extends beyond Iran’s recognised territorial boundaries into waters belonging to Oman and the UAE, triggering strong condemnation from Gulf governments.

The UAE swiftly rejected Tehran’s claims, describing them as provocative and unrealistic.

Diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, Anwar Gargash, accused Iran of attempting to impose “a new reality born from a clear military defeat,” insisting that efforts to dominate the Strait of Hormuz or violate Emirati maritime sovereignty were “nothing but fragments of dreams.”

Iran’s new maritime authority further declared that all vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz would now require “coordination with and authorization from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.”

The move has been interpreted by analysts as an attempt by Tehran to establish de facto control over one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.

The United States and Gulf allies immediately rejected the directive, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz remains an international waterway protected under global maritime law.

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Washington has reportedly advised commercial shipping operators not to comply with Iran’s instructions.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, handles nearly 20 percent of global oil shipments and a significant share of the world’s liquefied natural gas exports.

Any disruption to navigation through the narrow waterway is considered a major threat to global energy supplies and international trade.

Although the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) guarantees freedom of navigation and safe passage through international straits, Iran has never formally ratified the treaty and has repeatedly challenged aspects of international maritime law.

The crisis has deepened amid worsening confrontation between Tehran and Washington following renewed US-Israeli strikes on Iranian-linked targets earlier this year.

Media outlets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) this week aired footage allegedly showing a “punishment strike” on an oil tanker navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

BBC Verify later reported that details in the footage matched the Liberian-flagged tanker Barakah, whose operators earlier disclosed that the vessel had been struck by unidentified projectiles while travelling through the area.

Tensions escalated further on Wednesday after US forces boarded an Iran-bound oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) identified the vessel as Celestial Sea and claimed it was suspected of violating the US-led blockade imposed on Iranian ports in April.

Video footage released by CENTCOM showed US Marines descending from a helicopter onto the tanker during the operation.

According to maritime security company Vanguard, American forces later searched the ship and ordered the crew to alter course.

Tracking data from MarineTraffic subsequently showed the tanker redirecting toward the Omani port of Duqm.

The vessel had previously been sanctioned by Washington under another name over alleged links to Iranian oil transportation networks.

CENTCOM disclosed that since the blockade began on April 13, US forces had redirected 94 commercial vessels and disabled four ships suspected of violating sanctions tied to Iran.

The growing maritime confrontation has already disrupted shipping activities in the Gulf, with analysts warning of rising freight insurance costs, delays in crude oil exports, and heightened instability in global energy markets.

The chief executive officer of the UAE’s ADNOC recently warned that full restoration of normal oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz may not happen before 2027, even if hostilities end soon.

Diplomatic efforts are now intensifying to prevent a broader regional conflict.

Former US President Donald Trump revealed that he delayed planned military strikes against Iran earlier this week following requests from Gulf leaders, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, who urged Washington to allow more time for negotiations.

Trump said “serious negotiations” were ongoing but warned that military action remained possible if Tehran failed to respond positively to American proposals.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military chief, General Asim Munir, reportedly arrived in Tehran on Thursday as part of mediation efforts aimed at easing tensions between Iran and the United States.

Iranian state media confirmed that Munir was meeting senior Iranian officials while Tehran reviewed the latest US proposals designed to end the crisis and restore stability in the Gulf.

Security analysts warn that continued escalation around the Strait of Hormuz could trigger serious consequences for global oil prices, maritime trade, and regional security if military incidents continue in one of the world’s most sensitive waterways.

Iran Tightens Grip On Strait Of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions With US

Putin Discusses Iran Uranium Storage Plan With Xi in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed with Chinese President Xi Jinping the possibility of transporting and storing Iran’s enriched uranium in Russia, the Kremlin confirmed on Thursday following the conclusion of bilateral talks in Beijing.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin raised the proposal during closed-door discussions with Xi on Wednesday as Moscow and Beijing reviewed growing tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme and broader Middle East security concerns.

According to Peskov, Russia remains willing to assist in diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing confrontation between Iran and Western powers by offering to temporarily store Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile on Russian territory.

Russia first floated the proposal in June 2025 and has repeatedly promoted it as a practical confidence-building measure that could help revive stalled nuclear negotiations and reduce fears over Iran’s uranium enrichment activities.

Moscow previously handled the transfer and storage of Iran’s low-enriched uranium under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the international nuclear agreement reached between Iran and world powers.

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Putin has cited that arrangement as evidence that Russia possesses both the technical infrastructure and diplomatic experience needed to manage such a process again if all parties agree.

Peskov said Moscow continues to maintain communication with “all interested parties” and is prepared to continue mediation efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions around Iran’s nuclear activities.

However, the United States has publicly rejected the idea of transferring Iran’s enriched uranium to Russia as part of any future nuclear framework.

Washington has instead continued to push for the full dismantlement or severe restriction of Iran’s nuclear programme under any renewed agreement, arguing that Tehran’s current enrichment levels pose serious proliferation risks.

According to estimates by international nuclear monitoring agencies, Iran currently possesses roughly 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity — a level significantly above the limits set under the 2015 nuclear deal and technically close to weapons-grade material if further enriched.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly expressed concern over Iran’s growing stockpile and the pace of its enrichment activities since Tehran gradually reduced compliance with the JCPOA following the United States’ withdrawal from the deal in 2018.

China has generally supported diplomatic engagement with Iran and backed efforts to revive negotiations, although Beijing had not publicly commented on Putin’s latest proposal as of Thursday evening.

Iranian officials also did not immediately respond to the Kremlin’s remarks, though Tehran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is intended strictly for peaceful civilian purposes, including energy generation and medical research.

The renewed Russian proposal comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and growing international concern over the future of Iran’s nuclear programme as negotiations between Tehran and Western powers remain deadlocked.

Putin Discusses Iran Uranium Storage Plan With Xi in Beijing

Iran Threatens Wider War Beyond Middle East If US Attacks Again

Tensions between Iran and the United States escalated on Wednesday after Tehran warned that any new American military strike could trigger a conflict extending beyond the Middle East region.

The latest threat followed comments by US President Donald Trump, who disclosed that he was close to authorising another military operation against Iran before deciding to delay the move to allow diplomatic talks to continue.

Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said he had nearly approved a fresh bombing campaign targeting Iran.

“I was an hour away from making the decision to go today,” Trump told reporters, while warning that military action remained possible if ongoing negotiations fail.

The warning comes six weeks after Trump paused the military operation known as “Operation Epic Fury” under a temporary ceasefire arrangement aimed at creating room for diplomacy. However, efforts to secure a long-term peace deal between Washington and Tehran have reportedly stalled.

Earlier reports revealed that Iran submitted a new peace proposal to the United States, demanding control over the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damages, lifting of sanctions, release of frozen Iranian assets, and withdrawal of US troops from parts of the Middle East.

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The proposal was reportedly rejected by the Trump administration.

Reacting to Trump’s latest remarks, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) renewed threats of retaliation against American interests and countries hosting US military bases across the region.

In a statement carried by Iranian state media on Wednesday, the IRGC warned that any renewed aggression from Washington would spark a broader conflict outside the Middle East.

“If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region this time,” the statement said.

The development has further heightened global fears over a possible expansion of the Iran-US conflict, particularly around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil shipping routes.

Analysts warn that any escalation could disrupt global crude oil supplies, increase tensions across the Gulf region, and trigger fresh instability in international energy markets.

The renewed standoff also comes amid rising concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme, ongoing sanctions, and the growing military presence of the United States and its allies in the Middle East.

Diplomatic observers say the coming days could prove critical as both countries continue negotiations while simultaneously exchanging threats of military action.

Iran Threatens Wider War Beyond Middle East If US Attacks Again