Iran threatens to close Strait of Hormuz following claims of tanker explosion

Two oil tankers exploded near the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday, according to Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), as Tehran blamed Washington for the incident and announced the closure of the strategic waterway.

Citing a statement from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the IRNA reported that the two tankers caught fire while passing through a mined area south of the Strait of Hormuz around midnight local time.

The IRGC accused the United States of being responsible for the incident, claiming the vessels had been deceived by U.S. intelligence agencies into entering the dangerous area.

The nationalities of the tankers and the extent of any casualties were not immediately known.

Following the incident, Iran declared a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions in one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes.

The IRGC also warned ships transiting the strait not to enter what it described as mined waters, urging vessels to comply with Iranian instructions to protect their crews and assets.

Iran has long maintained that vessels should obtain its authorization and use the northern shipping channel, which it says is under its control.

The U.S. Central Command later denied the explosion claims on its Facebook page, saying, “Like most IRGC claims, this is false.”

Separately, IRNA reported that the IRGC Navy shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance drone over the southern port city of Bushehr, Iran, further heightening tensions between Tehran and Washington.

BY KO SEUNG-PYO [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]