Overview
- Iran’s joint military command warned on Thursday that oil tankers must follow routes approved by Tehran or face an immediate and forceful response, and it said any U.S. interference would be met with rapid retaliation.
- State authorities are preparing nationwide funeral rites for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei starting on July 4, an event that Tehran says will show unity and that will tighten security across major cities and ports.
- The threat comes while a 60‑day interim memorandum with the United States still governs toll‑free transits, but Tehran has insisted it will keep control of shipping lanes and may charge passage fees once the window ends.
- Recent weeks have seen repeated maritime attacks and counterstrikes, including drone strikes on merchant ships and U.S. CENTCOM strikes on Iranian sites, which have tested deconfliction channels and kept tensions high.
- If Iran enforces route control, shipping firms and insurers could face higher costs and rerouting, and mediators led by Qatar will be crucial to preserving the ceasefire and commercial traffic through the strait.