[93898] Escalation in the Persian Gulf: Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz and halts negotiations

Peak tension between Tehran and Washington: The Strait of Hormuz is blocked and negotiations have stopped

Tension in the Middle East reached a peak on June 21, 2026, with cumulative reports of two dramatic Iranian moves. The Iranian Fars News Agency, which was covered extensively by News from the Field on Telegram and Abu Ali Express, stated via a military source that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and that the Revolutionary Guards' naval forces will not issue passage permits to vessels "until further notice."

At the same time, official reports from the Iranian Tasnim News Agency, as published on Abu Ali Express, point to the collapse of diplomatic contacts. According to a source close to the negotiating team, the Iranian delegation left the site of the talks in a protest move against "President Trump's threats."

Reports of the blockage of the vital maritime route also resonated on The News Arena, where they emphasized that this is a sweeping directive from the Revolutionary Guards. While News from the Field on Telegram takes a line critical of Iran and Hamas and supportive of Trump's policy, the reports from Iranian news agencies present a position of direct defiance toward the American administration.

As of now, no official response has been issued by the American administration or other international entities regarding the consequences of the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, which is considered the main artery for global oil transport.