Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a belligerent statement Thursday announcing “foreigners have no stake in the Strait of Hormuz,” overtly directed at the United States but following demands from China that hostilities in the region end.
The IRGC’s statement was published in the context of renewed hostilities between Iran and America this week, which began when the IRGC bombed several commercial ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The ships were identified as originating in Qatar and Saudi Arabia and the hostilities prompted U.S. Central Command to retaliate by targeting Iranian military infrastructure. Iran has since launched a broader airstrike campaign against a host of its Middle Eastern neighbors, including Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Bahrain.
President Donald Trump declared that the ceasefire and peace agreement brokered between Washington and Tehran last month was no longer in vigor on Wednesday, though he later stated that Iranian officials had called and were looking to “make a deal.” The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in late June that required Iran to allow the free transit of commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz for at least 60 days, during which the two parties were supposed to be negotiating a more detailed peace deal to end Iran’s illicit nuclear development.
The IRGC, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, condemned the United States on Thursday for responding to its belligerence, insisting it would issue a “crushing response” to any Pentagon actions. According to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), the IRGC Navy insisted that Iran was respecting the memorandum of understanding by allowing ships through the Strait, but only those that sought approval from the Iranian government to move through international waters without being attacked. The terrorist entity claimed that traffic in the Strait was at about 50 percent of what they were before the current hostilities erupted in February and “gradually expanding.”
“Accusing the US of ‘adventurism and interference’ in determining traffic routes through the strategic waterway, the IRGC explicitly declared in the statement that ‘foreigners have no stake in the Strait of Hormuz,’” IRNA reported.
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The Iranian state media outlet did not mention any other country aside from the United States, but the timing of the statement indicates that it is meant for a much broader audience. On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry weighed in on the renewed kinetic action between Iran and the United States, urging both sides to adhere to the memorandum of understanding that they signed. The Foreign Ministry statement did not blame the United States exclusively for the situation, as it typically does, suggesting some irritation in Beijing with Iran’s handling of the situation.
“Reigniting the conflict does not serve any party’s interests. Military means cannot solve the fundamental issue,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters this week. “We call on the U.S. and Iran to follow through on their memorandum of understanding, resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and avoid resorting to force.”
The Chinese government has weighed in similarly in the past regarding the conflict. Dictator Xi Jinping personally commented in May during a conversation with the leader of longtime Iranian rival Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“President Xi emphasized that China calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, supports all efforts conducive to restoring peace, and stands for resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry explained in a call readout. “The Strait of Hormuz should maintain normal passage, as this serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community.”
The Chinese government typically condemns the United States in any conflict in which it is involved, complaining of alleged American “hegemony” and calling for more “multilateralism.” The subtle change in language regarding the Strait of Hormuz belies frustration in Beijing about Iran’s continued aggression, fueled by China’s dependence on commerce in the waterway. China is the top purchaser of Iranian oil and ships much of its export volume through the Strait into the Middle East and Europe. On Friday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that it would ban exports of helium, a move that economic observers linked to the inconsistent access that foreign ships have to the Strait of Hormuz. The Financial Times also observed this week that, according to Communist Party statistics, China’s producer price index rose 4.1 per cent year on year in June, at a faster rate than it did in May and the fastest rate since July 2022.
“Factory gate prices reversed years of declines to return to positive territory in March, shortly after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which prompted a sudden surge in prices for factory inputs,” the Financial Times shared. “China’s economy had for years grappled with deflation, given a prolonged property sector slowdown and tepid consumer confidence.”
The status of the America-Iran memorandum of understanding remains unclear as of Friday. Some reports indicate that mediating countries are preparing for continued talks to advance the goals of the memorandum, though the IRGC continues to threaten more military action against its neighbors, allegedly meant to target the United States. President Trump had declared on Wednesday that Iran’s negotiators were “a bunch of scum” and “cuckoo,” but later that day claimed that Tehran was still open to negotiation.
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