IRGC warns retaliation against US blockade
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said during European trading hours on Wednesday that it will not allow imports and exports in the Gulf, and the Sea of Oman if the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz against Iran's vessels continues, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Earlier, it was reported that in March a series of attacks on industrial facilities across Gulf countries had intensified regional tensions amid the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.
Authorities in Gulf states reported damage to key industrial sites, including aluminum production facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Officials in the UAE said several people were injured after a major aluminum plant in Abu Dhabi was struck, with the operator reporting significant damage.
In Bahrain, authorities said two employees were wounded following an attack on one of the world’s largest aluminum smelting facilities.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had carried out the strikes using drones and missiles, stating that the targeted facilities were linked to U.S. military activities. The IRGC described the operation as a response to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian industrial sites.
Gulf countries expressed concern over the impact of the conflict on regional stability. While calling for a role in any future diplomatic process, they remained divided on how relations with Iran and the United States should evolve.
Energy markets also reacted. Oil and gas prices rose after disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
As Qazinform News Agency reported earlier, following the announcement of the ceasefire agreement, US President Donald Trump shared plans to host the leaders of Israel and Lebanon at the White House for further negotiations.
