The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed on Monday morning, August 31, that what it termed a “violating supertanker” suffered “severe fires” and came to a complete halt after striking two naval mines while transiting the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC statement did not specify what violation the tanker had allegedly committed while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway. The name of the vessel and its flag state were also omitted from the official announcement.
In the statement published by Iranian state media, the IRGC issued an explicit warning: “Such will be the fate of any vessel that violates security regulations in the Strait of Hormuz.”
Addressing commercial shipping in the area, the IRGC Navy declared that “compliance with regulations issued by the IRGC Navy is mandatory for passage,” cautioning tankers not to be “deceived” by the United States into taking alternative routes or “needlessly jeopardizing their property and the lives of their crews.”
As of publication, independent maritime monitoring organizations have not verified reports of a tanker striking mines or catching fire in the area.
