Audio recording shows IRGC warning vessels against transiting Strait of Hormuz

Alsharq Tribune-Ahmed Essam 

The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday evening warned ships operating near the Strait of Hormuz against transiting the strategic waterway, according to an audio recording of a public maritime radio channel.

The recording, provided to Xinhua by a crew member aboard a commercial vessel near the strait, showed that the IRGC navy addressed all vessels operating in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, saying the Strait of Hormuz had been "completely closed" and that any vessel movement within the strait would be dealt with "decisively."

"For the sake of your health and safety, absolutely refrain from any movement in the Strait of Hormuz until further notice," the recorded message said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that a peace deal with Iran was scheduled to be signed on Sunday and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately afterward.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military said late Friday that it had downed several Iranian drones targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints and a key route for global oil and natural gas shipments. Maritime traffic through the strait has declined sharply in recent months amid escalating tensions and attacks on commercial shipping.

According to figures released by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), 46 incidents involving international shipping had been confirmed in and around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East region as of June 11, resulting in 14 confirmed seafarer fatalities.

The IMO on Wednesday strongly condemned an attack on a tanker that reportedly left three seafarers dead. The U.S. military later confirmed that it had carried out the strike.