Iran vows to keep Hormuz strait blocked as long as war continues
Iran has declared it will keep the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed for oil exports as long as its conflict with the United States and Israel continues, escalating fears of a prolonged global energy crisis.
Iranian military officials said no oil shipments would leave the Persian Gulf while the war persists, a move that threatens a key global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes.
The warning came as mixed signals emerged from Washington about the direction of the conflict. US President Donald Trump told Fox News that diplomatic talks with Tehran might still be possible, even as the Pentagon signalled a sharp escalation in military operations.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed that American forces would intensify attacks, promising what he described as the “most intense day of strikes” against Iranian targets.
At the same time, confusion arose after US Energy Secretary Chris Wright briefly claimed on social media that the US Navy had escorted a commercial oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to maintain energy flows. The message was later deleted, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that such an operation had taken place.
Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps dismissed US claims that the conflict could end soon, saying Tehran alone would decide when the war concludes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is prepared to continue missile strikes and ruled out immediate negotiations with Washington.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s military campaign against Iran was far from over, arguing that ongoing strikes were weakening Iran’s leadership.
According to reports from Axios, the United States has privately urged Israel to avoid attacking Iran’s energy infrastructure. Washington fears such strikes could provoke wider retaliation across the Gulf region and damage global oil supplies.
US military officials also downplayed Iran’s battlefield strength. Dan Caine said Iranian forces were fighting hard but were not as formidable as previously believed.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran would respond to US-Israeli attacks with immediate and proportional retaliation, underscoring the growing risk of a broader regional war.
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