Iran Cites Sea Mine Risks, Directs Ships to Alternative Routes in Strait of Hormuz Amid Fragile US Ceasefire

 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced alternative shipping routes through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, warning vessels of potential sea mines in the main navigation channels. The move comes one day after a two-week ceasefire agreement with the United States that was intended to allow temporary reopening of the waterway.ed45a1

In a statement quoted by Iranian media and reported by international outlets including Reuters, AFP, and Xinhua, the IRGC advised all ships transiting the strait to follow designated alternative entry and exit paths “to comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines.”

The advisory specifically instructs vessels to use revised corridors, with inbound traffic from the Gulf of Oman directed north of Larak Island before entering the Persian Gulf, and outbound traffic routed differently to avoid the primary lanes. Ships have also been urged to coordinate closely with the IRGC Navy for safe passage.777ed4

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, is one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for global energy supplies. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and significant