The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fired warning shots at four ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours. Iranian state television reported that the ships were attempting unauthorized passage and were forced to alter course after the shots were fired.
The incident once again brought Iran's claim of control over maritime traffic in the region into focus. The Tehran administration bases its stance on a 14-point agreement reached with the United States in June, mediated by Pakistan. Officials had stated that the agreement, announced on June 14, calls for a halt to hostilities and the resolution of disputes through negotiations.
Under the agreement, Iran maintains that ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz cannot take place without its oversight, and it says it therefore occasionally intervenes in regional maritime traffic. The Revolutionary Guards Navy had earlier warned on July 22 against the use of alternative routes in the Strait of Hormuz.