'Strait of Hormuz remains closed': Reports
Tehran, June 21
The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, a military source told Iranian media outlet, the Fars News Agency.
Fars News Agency's follow-ups from military sources indicated that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and the IRGC Navy is not issuing any permits for vessel passage until further notice.
The agency also said that this step is the first response to the 'breach of promise', and if the aggression continues, subsequent steps will be planned and taken to compel the other side to fulfill its commitments.
The closure comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi met Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Burgenstock during the Iranian delegation's first official engagement in Switzerland. The meeting reflected continued diplomatic consultations on bilateral and regional issues.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, got in a shouting match with the UN's special representative for children and armed conflict, Vanessa Frazier, after she interrupted his remarks at Friday's meeting regarding allegations that Israeli soldiers and settlers committed sexual violence against Palestinians.
Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Esmaeil Baqaei said in a post on X, "This shameful exhibition of arrogant defiance -- against reason, law, morality, and justice -- is yet another inevitable result of the absolute impunity bestowed upon an apartheid terrorist regime by its enablers. This regime continues its genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people and throughout the region with utter disregard for all civilized norms. It is long past time for the world to rise and confront this grave, unprecedented threat to peace and humanity."
Earlier on June 19, Araghchi critiqued Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's response to the attacks on Israeli soldiers saying "all of Lebanon must burn."
In a post on X, he said, "This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It's a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime. The genocidal death cult headquartered in Tel Aviv is a threat to all of humanity. It threatens all humans. Its only interest is permanent war."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Iran is making a huge mistake. Closing one of the world's most important waterways will only escalate tensions and hurt the global economy. The international community needs to step in diplomatically, not with more sanctions or threats. This is getting out of hand.
While Iran's frustration with Israel is understandable, closing the Strait of Hormuz hurts innocent people worldwide, including India. There must be better ways to protest without punishing the global economy. Sympathize with Palestine, but this approach isn't right.
I've been following the tensions between Iran and Israel for a while. The Israeli ambassador's outburst at the UN shows how fragile the situation is. Iran's response seems like a dangerous escalation. Diplomacy must prevail before this spirals into a regional war.
Honestly, the rhetoric from both sides is terrifying. "All of Lebanon must burn"? That's not diplomacy, that's madness. And Iran talking about "genocidal death cults" doesn't help either. India should use its good offices with both nations to de-escalate. We can't afford another war in our backyard. 🕊️
As someone who works in shipping, this is a nightmare. The Strait of Hormuz handles about 20% of global oil shipments. If it stays closed, freight costs will skyrocket and Indian exports will suffer. We need a neutral mediator to sort this out, maybe India or Switzerland can play that role.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.