Iran has strongly rejected claims that it has closed the Strait of Hormuz, calling the allegation “baseless and absurd” and reaffirming its commitment to international law and freedom of navigation.
In a statement issued by the Iran Mission to the United Nations on Thursday, March 5, 2026, Iranian authorities accused the United States of being the party responsible for endangering maritime security in the region.
The mission stated: “The claim that Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz is baseless and absurd. Iran remains committed to international law and freedom of navigation. In reality, it is the U.S. that has endangered maritime security.”
The statement further accused the U.S. Navy of carrying out a “deadly naval attack” on an Iranian warship in international waters. According to Iran, the frigate IRIS Dena—on an official visit to India with 130 sailors onboard—was sunk by a U.S. submarine without warning, approximately 2,000 miles from Iran’s shores. The incident reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 100 sailors.
Iran described the alleged attack as a “serious breach” of international maritime norms and a violation of the fundamental principles of international law and freedom of navigation.
The statement provided no additional operational details about the frigate’s activities but maintained that Iran continues to uphold global maritime rules while charging the United States with undermining regional and international maritime stability.
The denial comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where Iran has been engaged in retaliatory strikes against Israel, U.S. bases, and other targets. Earlier reports quoted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) General Ebrahim Jabbari threatening to expand Iran’s responses and target economic hubs across the region if attacks on Iranian “main centres” continue.
General Jabbari was quoted by Iran’s state-linked media (via Al Jazeera) as saying: “We are saying to the enemy that if it decides to hit our main centres, we will hit all economic centres in the region.” He also claimed Iran had shut down the Strait of Hormuz—a vital chokepoint through which about 20 percent of the world’s traded oil (roughly 20 million barrels per day) and significant liquefied natural gas exports from Gulf states pass.
Jabbari predicted oil prices, already above $80 per barrel, could soon reach $200 if disruptions escalate.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global energy artery, and any sustained closure or major disruption would have severe implications for worldwide oil and gas supplies, raising alarms among regional officials and energy analysts about the security of power grids, desalination plants, and oil infrastructure.
Iran’s UN mission emphasized that Tehran has not taken actions to impede navigation in the strait and instead pointed to the reported U.S. attack on the IRIS Dena as the primary threat to maritime safety.
