Iran signals Hormuz safe passage to countries expelling U.S. and Israeli diplomats

Summary:

• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says Arab or European countries that expel Israeli and U.S. ambassadors will be granted full freedom to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

• The statement was carried by Iranian state media and appears aimed at rallying diplomatic support for Tehran amid its war with the United States and Israel.

• The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, carrying roughly a fifth of global oil shipments.

• The message suggests Iran could reward governments aligning against Washington and Israel with safe passage through the strait.

• The comments come as the conflict escalates and shipping disruptions in the Middle East already threaten global energy supply.

• Markets remain highly sensitive to any signals regarding the security of Hormuz.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a message suggesting that countries distancing themselves diplomatically from Israel and the United States could be granted unrestricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important oil shipping routes.

According to Iranian state media, the IRGC said that any Arab or European nation that expels the ambassadors of Israel and the United States from its territory would, starting the following day, be given “full authority and freedom” to transit the strait.

The statement appears to be part of Tehran’s broader effort to pressure governments to take a political stance against Washington and Israel amid the escalating conflict that has drawn the region into a wider confrontation.

The Strait of Hormuz sits between Iran and UAE/Oman and serves as the main gateway for oil exports from the Persian Gulf. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil passes through the narrow waterway, making it one of the most closely watched chokepoints in global energy markets.

The latest statement comes amid the widening conflict between Iran and the United States following the launch of U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iranian targets. President Donald Trump has described the campaign as necessary to dismantle Iran’s missile and drone capabilities, arguing that Tehran was preparing attacks across the Middle East.

Trump has vowed to continue military pressure until Iran is fully defeated, though he has also suggested the war could ultimately be relatively short if Tehran’s leadership collapses or seeks a ceasefire.

Iran, for its part, has sought to mobilise regional support and demonstrate it retains leverage over critical global trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.