Tehran – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Friday that two oil tankers had been halted after encountering unspecified incidents while attempting to navigate what Tehran considers an unauthorised route through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, the IRGC said one tanker was stopped in the eastern section and the other in the western section of the strait. Both vessels were reportedly halted in waters south of the waterway.

The Guards alleged that the tankers had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and were attempting to pass through the unauthorised corridor with support from the US military. The IRGC did not disclose the nature of the incidents but said the vessels had received several radio warnings before disregarding them. The announcement came a day after Iran’s armed forces reported that at least four tankers had stopped in the area after allegedly striking mines.

Iranian forces have instructed commercial vessels to use a designated shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz and coordinate their passage with the country’s armed forces. Tehran considers a southern maritime corridor closer to Oman’s coastline an unauthorised route and has warned vessels against using it without coordination.

Iran has restricted maritime traffic through the strategic waterway since the Middle East conflict began on February 28, following US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The United States has also imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, further restricting Tehran’s ability to export oil and conduct international trade.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, connecting the Persian Gulf with international markets through the Gulf of Oman. Disruptions to shipping in the waterway have raised concerns about global oil supplies, energy prices and the security of international maritime trade.

The latest reported incidents have added to tensions surrounding commercial navigation through the strait. However, the IRGC has not provided independent evidence detailing what happened to the two tankers, and the nature of the reported incidents remains unclear.

WASHINGTON DC — The United States is reducing staffing at four embassies in the Middle East following intelligence warnings that Iran has intensified efforts to target American personnel in the region and beyond, according to U.S. officials and a report by The Associated Press. The staffing reductions affect U.S. embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The diplomatic missions will remain open but will operate under restricted conditions, officials said.

In a memo sent Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned that Iran had substantially increased its efforts to target U.S. personnel. Clayton said intelligence assessments indicated that alleged plots targeting American citizens had reached advanced stages in the Middle East and other countries. The memo did not publicly identify specific targets or provide details about the alleged plots.

U.S. officials said concerns about Iranian threats, along with the risk of attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, contributed to the decision to reduce staffing at the four embassies. The State Department had cited increased threats from the Houthis when announcing the staffing changes but had not initially publicly identified direct Iranian threats as a reason for the measures.

The latest reductions differ from measures announced earlier in Saudi Arabia, where nonessential U.S. government personnel and their families were ordered to leave the country. Personnel at the four embassies affected by the latest decision have not been ordered to depart, according to the report.

The developments come amid renewed regional fighting and growing concerns about the security of American diplomatic and military personnel. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has also threatened U.S. military bases in the region over American assistance to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway for global energy supplies. Any escalation around the strait could have wider consequences for international shipping, energy markets and regional security.

The staffing changes come as diplomatic efforts to resume formal negotiations between Washington and Tehran continue amid a stalemate in the conflict. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States could undertake further military action against Iran if Tehran did not agree to negotiations. U.S. officials have denied that the embassy staffing reductions are connected to preparations for potential new U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.

The situation remains fluid, with Washington balancing diplomatic efforts against security concerns involving American personnel and regional allies. Source: The Associated Press, citing U.S. officials and an intelligence memo. Additional details were reported by Axios.

TEHRAN — Iran has vowed not to allow US military vessels to enter the Persian Gulf under any circumstances, as tensions rise amid warnings of possible renewed US and Israeli attacks. Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, made the remarks on Saturday, October 24, according to Iranian state television.

“We will not allow US military ships in the Persian Gulf under any circumstances and at any time,” Abdollahi said. He added that US President Donald Trump would have to take the prospect of American military forces entering the Gulf “to his grave.”

The statement came as US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack warned that a US strike on Iran as soon as the weekend could not be ruled out. The remarks were reported amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian forces have restricted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict with the United States began on February 28, according to reports. The strategic waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a major route for global energy shipments. The United States has responded by imposing a blockade on Iranian ports and vessels, according to the reports.

Tehran has required ships to obtain permission to transit the strait. Iranian forces have also targeted vessels attempting to use a southern route near the Omani coast, according to reports.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said several tankers attempting to cross the strait through a route Tehran considers unauthorized had been struck by mines in recent days. On Friday, the Guards reported that two supertankers carrying more than 4.5 million barrels of crude oil had been abandoned at sea after striking mines in the strategic waterway.

“Their engine rooms were disabled by an explosion and a fierce fire,” the Guards said in a statement carried by its Sepah News website. The claims about the tankers and the circumstances of the reported incidents have been attributed to the IRGC.

Before the conflict, approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of the most important energy corridors in the world. Any prolonged disruption to shipping through the strait could have wider implications for international energy markets and maritime security. Iran’s latest warning underscores the continuing confrontation over military access to the Persian Gulf and control of the strategically important waterway.