Iran seeks to tighten control over strait of Hormuz alongside Khamenei funeral

IRGC warnings force ships to turn back as Tehran uses passages from Qur’an to send messages to Gulf delegations The diplomatic and military contest for control of the strait of Hormuz has intensified alongside the dramatic scenes of mourning for the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, with some claiming Khamenei’s legacy ultimately depends on Tehran’s grip on the waterway, and so the global economy. Over the past 48 hours, as crowds have swirled in Tehran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps appeared to have started to plug a gaping and growing gap in their monopoly control of the strait. A large number of ships stuck in the strait for weeks had last week started to use a US-backed southern route close to the shores of Oman to break free, leaving Iran controlling the less-used and more-mined northern route. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, upped the stakes on Thursday by announcing the go-ahead for plans agreed with the UK to send a mine-clearing naval force to clear the southern route, a plan that was rejected by the Iranian foreign ministry as unwarranted and unjustified interference. But on Saturday at least eight ships turned around after direct IRGC warnings.