Iran announces measures against unauthorized navigation in the Persian Gulf

A Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced today that it will extend “to the whole region” of the Persian Gulf measures against “unauthorised” navigation, as well as claiming an attack on an oil tanker in the Strait of Ormuz.

The Iranian Armed Forces did not specify exactly what the measures were, but on some occasions the Iranian Revolutionary Guard itself confirmed attacks on ships belonging to the “American Zionist enemy” (United States and Israel) who crossed the strait without respecting the routes established by the authorities of the Islamic Republic.

However, the Revolutionary Guard claimed a new attack on an oil tanker trying to cross the Strait of Ormuz through an “illegal route.”.

The Iranian forces “have taken control of the administration of the strait” and “under this mission a few hours ago, a gigantic LPG transport ship called ‘NV Sunshine’, which belonged to NatWit, which was attempting to cross the illegal route south of the Strait of Ormuz, was hit,” the Revolutionary Guard announced in a statement released by the official news agency IRNA.

Now, the new scope of action of the attacks will cover “the whole region of the Persian Gulf,” the Revolutionary Guard added in another statement released by the Tasnim news agency.

Maritime monitoring services also today pointed out that an unidentified projectile had set fire on another ship off the United Arab Emirates.

UKMTO announced that a ship 13 nautical miles (24 km) from Al Jazeera in the United Arab Emirates to the west of the strait had been hit by a projectile, causing a fire on board.

“ The fate of the crew, the extent of the damage and the environmental impact are unknown at this stage,” the agency added.

According to the maritime safety company Vanguard, it is the oil tanker “GEM NO.2”, with Panamanian flag.

This week two merchant ships off the coast of Qatar were attacked — the first attack in this area in six months — and another off Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman.

“ From now on, the measures against vessels that infringe the regulations will not be limited to the Strait of Ormuz. Any vessel that transits by unauthorized routes will be pursued throughout the region and will be imposed serious sanctions,” said the Revolutionary Guard.

Since the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East on 28 February, triggered by attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, Tehran calls for control of the Strait of Ormuz, through which one-fifth of world hydrocarbons were transiting before the war.

In response, Washington imposes a naval blockade on Iranian ports and escorts oil tankers, which are increasingly numerous across the strait.