The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced Monday that it has established a "smart control" zone in the strait, defined by two boundary lines: in the south, a line running from Mount Mobarak in Iran to south of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates; and in the west, a line between the end of Qeshm Island in Iran and Umm Al Quwain in the UAE. The IRGC warned that any maritime movement in violation of the zone's principles would be "stopped by force," and flatly denied that any commercial vessel or oil tanker had transited the strait since the declaration took effect.
"The control of the Strait of Hormuz is completely in Iran's hands," a senior Iranian security official told Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, speaking on condition of anonymity. "This is a clear message from our armed forces to the United States. If they come forward, they will be targeted."
U.S. 'Project Freedom' Meets Resistance
The confrontation escalated after U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday announced "Project Freedom," a campaign he said was launched at the request of nations whose vessels are stranded in the strait. Trump described those countries as "neutral and innocent bystanders" and vowed the U.S. would "help free up" the blocked ships beginning Monday. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) subsequently announced it would escort merchant vessels seeking to transit the waterway.
Iran's response was swift and unambiguous. The commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters, Major General Ali Abdollahi, warned that any foreign military force — particularly the United States — would come under attack if it attempted to enter or approach the strait. According to reports from Al-Mayadeen, a U.S. Navy frigate that moved toward the strait was struck by two missiles after ignoring repeated Iranian warnings near the waters off Jask port.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the U.S. operation entirely, calling it not "Project Freedom" but "Project Stagnation." Speaking Tuesday, he warned both the United States and the UAE against being drawn into a "quagmire," while noting that Pakistan-mediated nuclear talks are making progress. "Events in the Strait of Hormuz have shown there is no military solution to this crisis," Araghchi said.
Tehran: We Are the Guardians of the Strait
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei used his weekly press briefing Monday to push back sharply against Washington's framing, arguing that the Strait of Hormuz was a safe passage for international shipping before February 28 — the date Iran says the U.S. and Israel launched an unprovoked military campaign against the country — and that responsibility for the current disruption lies with the United States.
"The U.S. should have learned that it cannot speak to Iran through threats and coercion," Baghaei said. "Iran has shown that it considers itself the guardian of the security of the Strait of Hormuz." He called on the international community to hold Washington accountable for rendering the strategic waterway unsafe, characterizing U.S. actions as "piracy" in international waters.
Baghaei also addressed France's proposals regarding strait safety, advising outside parties not to "further complicate the current situation," and reiterated that Iran's measures conform with international law. He said countries genuinely wishing to help should focus on restraining U.S. escalation. On the diplomatic front, he confirmed that Iran received a U.S. response — delivered through Pakistan — to Tehran's 14-point proposal, and that Iranian officials are reviewing it.
IRGC: U.S. Has Failed, and Iran Has Not Yet Begun
Senior IRGC figures struck a defiant tone. Deputy Commander for Political Affairs General Yadollah Javani said the U.S. had "mobilized all its capabilities" during and after the 40-day conflict but failed to reopen the strait. "Trump is in no way capable of turning the clock back to conditions before February 28," Javani said.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf echoed the sentiment in a post on X, writing that the "new equation for the Strait of Hormuz is in the process of being consolidated" and issuing a pointed warning: "We know full well that the continuation of the current situation is intolerable for the United States — while we have not even begun yet."
Background and Stakes
The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil chokepoint, with roughly 20 percent of global petroleum trade transiting its waters daily. Iran closed the strait to vessels of what it termed "enemies and their allies" following the February 28 outbreak of hostilities and has since imposed a permit requirement on all remaining traffic, citing the need to prevent weapons transfers and hostile military use of the waterway.
Iran has signaled openness to negotiation — Araghchi noted that talks with Oman, a fellow strait littoral state, are aimed at establishing a maritime security mechanism — but has made clear that the new control framework is a permanent feature, not a temporary measure. As Iranian and U.S. forces traded warnings on Monday, global oil markets and shipping insurers watched closely, with the standoff showing no immediate signs of resolution.
Photo: Mehr News Agency