Iran
Iran's IRGC on Monday, May 4, 2026, issued two maps claiming control over the Strait of Hormuz. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday challenged Donald Trump, declaring it would not allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without prior coordination with them.
The IRGC released two maps appearing to assert control over key sections of the waterway, including areas near the UAE’s Fujairah port to the east and near Umm al-Quwain port to the west.
The force’s bellicose rhetoric follows Washington’s decision to allow a detained Iranian vessel and its crew to return home via Pakistan, which has been mediating between Tehran and Washington after a six-week conflict that reportedly saw more than 15,000 sites struck by US and Israeli forces.
Iran responded to the conflict by launching over 10,000 missiles and one-way drones across the region. It has since claimed authority over the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly imposing tolls on passing vessels and targeting several tankers. In response, the United States imposed a blockade on Iranian ports in the Gulf, cutting off a key source of oil revenue.
“No change has been made to the management of the Strait of Hormuz. Any maritime movement by civilian and commercial vessels that complies with transit protocols issued by the IRGC Navy, follows designated routes, and is carried out in coordination will be secure,” said IRGC spokesperson Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi.
Mohebbi warned that vessels violating IRGC directives “will face serious risks” and could be stopped by force.
The statement came hours after Trump said “very positive discussions” were underway with Iran and confirmed that US forces would soon begin escorting ships stranded in the Strait under an operation dubbed “Project Freedom.”
“U.S. military support to Project Freedom will include guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members,” United States Central Command said Monday.
The IRGC urged shipping companies and insurers to heed its warnings, stressing that compliance with its advisories is “essential” for safe passage.
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