INTERNATIONAL – The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran has issued one of its most alarming threats yet, warning of a full blockade on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — the critical chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s energy trade passes.
As reported by CNBC Indonesia citing Reuters, an IRGC spokesperson made the declaration bluntly through state media, asserting that Iran holds complete authority over how and when the ongoing conflict ends. “We are the ones who will determine the end of this war,” the spokesperson said firmly on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
The threat stems from Iran’s warning that not a single barrel of oil will leave the Middle East for as long as American and Israeli strikes continue against its territory. The message carries enormous weight, as a complete Hormuz closure would effectively cut off roughly 20 million barrels of oil from global markets daily, sending shockwaves across economies worldwide.
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President Donald Trump responded with a barrage of counter-threats, both in tone and scale. “We will hit them so hard that it will be impossible for them or anyone helping them to recover that part of the world,” Trump said. He then doubled down through a post on Truth Social, laying out precise terms: “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States 20 times harder than they have already been hit.”
On the ground, the situation grew increasingly dire as a major oil refinery in Tehran was struck, sending plumes of thick black smoke billowing over the Iranian capital. Israeli forces simultaneously announced new attacks targeting central Iran as well as Beirut, Lebanon, in retaliation for ongoing hostilities.
Global markets have been rattled by the spiraling conflict, with oil prices surging and stock exchanges swinging sharply. The world now watches anxiously to see whether Iran’s Hormuz ultimatum will materialize into action — and whether that step would unleash an even broader military response from Washington.
