On Saturday evening, June 20, the Terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced in a statement that it would close the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic in response to the continued Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon.
According to the statement, published on Saturday evening, June 20, by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) News Agency, the decision was made in response to what it described as "the United States' clear breach of its commitments" in implementing the first provision of the memorandum of understanding to end the war, as well as Israel's "continued violations of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon."
The statement also referred to the continued presence of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and claimed that closing the Strait of Hormuz constituted "the first step" in Iran's response to what it called the "enemy's breach of commitments."
The Terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) further warned that if what it described as "aggression" continues, it will take additional measures to compel the other side to fulfill its commitments.
U.S. and Israeli officials have not yet responded to the announcement.
Hours before the statement was released, Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the IRGC, published a front-page editorial in response to reports that Abbas Araghchi might travel to Switzerland for talks with the U.S. delegation. Addressing Araghchi, the editorial argued that, given the continuing fighting in Lebanon, "there is no justification for meeting with Witkoff; you should close the Strait of Hormuz."
Israeli strikes across various parts of Lebanon on Saturday, June 20, only hours after the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, left at least ten people dead. The continued hostilities have cast doubt on the durability of the declared ceasefire.
