\n<\/p>\n
Vessels in the Gulf reported receiving messages warning that no ships were allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz, according to EU and UK agencies, though Iran has not confirmed any closure.<\/p>\n
An official from the European Union\u2019s naval mission Aspides said on Saturday that vessels operating in the Gulf have been receiving VHF radio messages from Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards<\/a> stating that \u201cno ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n The official, who spoke to Reuters<\/em> on condition of anonymity, said Iran has not formally confirmed issuing any such order.<\/p>\n The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency separately said it had received multiple reports from vessels in the Gulf that they had been informed of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n UKMTO added that there was no immediate confirmation from Iranian authorities.<\/p>\n The Strait of Hormuz is considered the world\u2019s most vital oil export route, serving as a critical chokepoint connecting major Gulf oil producers<\/a>, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates, to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Roughly a fifth of the world\u2019s oil consumption passes through the narrow waterway.<\/p>\nWorld\u2019s most vital oil export route<\/h3>\n