Former IRGC Commander Says Iran Will Keep Strait of Hormuz Closed to US Warships

Former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaee, a member of Iran's Expediency Council, stated that Iran will keep the strategically important Strait of Hormuz closed and will not permit US warships to enter the Persian Gulf. Speaking at a funeral for Ali Shamkhani, killed in a US-Israeli strike, Rezaee blamed the US presence for regional insecurity and said Iran would end retaliatory actions only after receiving reparations and guarantees, including a full US withdrawal from the region.