Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz has returned to “strict management” — reversing a dramatic opening announced just 24 hours earlier by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters cited “repeated breaches of commitments” by the United States, which has maintained its naval blockade of Iranian ports despite the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire that took effect Thursday. The military’s statement directly contradicts Araghchi’s Friday declaration that Hormuz was “completely open” to all commercial shipping.
Earlier Saturday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had warned that Hormuz “will not remain open” if the US blockade continues. The IRGC’s announcement followed hours later, confirming the reversal.
The Hormuz strait carries roughly 20 percent of the world’s traded oil. Araghchi’s Friday opening announcement had pushed Brent crude down sharply to $88 per barrel. The renewed restrictions are expected to reverse those price gains when markets open Monday.
For Sri Lanka, the back-and-forth is a direct threat to fuel supply stability. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has nine shipments scheduled for April, but elevated freight premiums and supply uncertainty persist while Hormuz remains under military management.
