Iran announced on Sunday that it has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international shipping lane, until further notice or "until the end of American interference in this region," according to state media.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stern warning, stating that any U.S. aggression in response to the closure would be met with severe retaliation, including targeting new bases in the region. The IRGC also reported firing a warning shot at another ship that had allegedly turned off its systems and deviated from Iran's approved route within the strait.

This development follows a series of incidents earlier in the week involving the attacks on three commercial tankers. Iranian officials claim these attacks occurred as the tankers attempted to cross a U.S.-recommended route through Omani waters. Iran has consistently asserted that the only secure passage is a separate route designated through its own territorial waters.

The recent exchange of strikes has significantly heightened regional tensions. The U.S. conducted strikes that, according to Iranian officials, resulted in 17 deaths and 115 injuries. Iran retaliated with strikes targeting allies of the U.S. in the Gulf. U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the Iranian attacks signaled the end of a ceasefire, although he also indicated that talks might still continue, with mediators attempting to revive the process.

Reports in U.S. media suggest that Iran has communicated through mediators to American officials that the tanker attacks were an error and attributed them to a "rogue internal group." U.S. officials have conveyed a demand through intermediaries for Iran to publicly declare the Strait of Hormuz open and commit to ceasing attacks on commercial vessels.

The closure of the strait comes in the wake of a call for revenge from Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. In his first public statement since assuming leadership, he vowed vengeance for the death of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an air strike on February 28, during the initial phase of what Iran refers to as the "U.S.-Israeli war against Iran." The elder Khamenei was buried in his hometown of Mashhad on Friday.

During funeral ceremonies in Mashhad, many Iranians carried placards calling for the assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump. President Trump had previously warned that any such plans would result in the U.S. "decimating and destroying all areas of Iran." The Wall Street Journal and other U.S. media outlets reported this week that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington suggesting Iran had developed a plan to assassinate the U.S. president, a claim that Trump has denied.

U.S. officials have not yet issued a formal response to the IRGC's announcement regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The situation remains highly volatile, with significant implications for global oil markets and international maritime security.