Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned on July 15 that oil and gas export routes “serving the United States and its allies” could face disruption after the American military reimposed its naval blockade against the Islamic Republic, IRNA reported.

The warning came hours after US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had resumed the blockade of Iran’s southern ports using 20 warships and hundreds of military aircraft, beginning at 23:30 Tehran time on July 14.

In a strongly worded statement issued early on July 15, the IRGC said that regional energy exports would be “for everyone or for no one.”

“The enemy should know that now its pirates have blocked the route for exporting oil and gas to the world through the Indian Ocean, endangering the interests of America’s economic rivals, they should expect the closure of other oil and gas export routes that serve the interests of the United States and its allies.”

The statement did not specify which export routes could be targeted.

The renewed escalation follows Washington’s decision to restore the naval blockade after revoking a temporary sanctions waiver that had allowed Iranian oil exports under a 14-point peace memorandum signed with Tehran in June to halt the conflict that began on February 28.

During the first blockade, imposed in mid-April and lasting for more than two months, US forces intercepted dozens of vessels linked to Iran, turned many of them back, seized at least two oil tankers and attacked several others in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean.

The latest threat is likely to heighten concerns over the knock-on effect on global energy supplies. Throughout the conflict, analysts and regional media raised the possibility that Iran could seek to disrupt traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait with support from Yemen’s Houthis, although Tehran has made no official announcement to that effect.

The Houthis began missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab after the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, prompting many global shipping companies to reroute vessels around southern Africa. The disruption reduced commercial traffic through the corridor by as much as 60% and sharply increased transport costs.

Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of Iran’s leading Kayhan newspaper, wrote on July 14 that Iran should close the Bab al-Mandab Strait so that, “in addition to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has cut off America’s breathing route, we will now witness the complete suffocation of the US and its allies.”

Shariatmadari added that Iran could “easily and independently” close the waterway using its “precision-guided missiles.”

After US strikes resumed against coastal targets in southern Iran last week, Tehran not only launched missile and drone attacks on US military bases across the region but also reimposed restrictions on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of global oil and LNG supplies pass.

Oil prices extended gains on July 15 after the US reinstated the blockade on Iranian ports. Brent crude futures rose 1.2% to $85.72 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 0.8% to $79.98 a barrel.