Iran: Three ships on fire in the strait of Hormuz
Three ships that defied Iran’s instructions have “exploded and caught fire” in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC’s statement does not specify which vessels are involved. However, ever since the US launched its war against Iran last winter, the Iranian authorities have been attempting to control maritime traffic through the narrow strait between the Persian Gulf and the open seas.
According to the IRGC, the three vessels in question had switched off their navigation systems in the hope of being able to pass through unnoticed via ‘the unauthorised southern route’ – in other words, through Omani waters.
The US urges shipping companies to use precisely this southern route, whilst Iran demands that all traffic travel further north, through Iranian waters.
