Iran turns back 3 foreign tankers attempting 'unauthorized' Hormuz transit

Three foreign oil tankers were turned back toward the Gulf after attempting to pass through what an "unauthorized" route in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's state-run broadcaster IRIB reported Friday.

The vessels had sought to transit through the southern corridor of the strait without coordinating with Iranian authorities, prompting intervention by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, it said.

The navy issued a warning at around 4 am local time (0030GMT) to all vessels in the Gulf and the Sea of Oman, declaring that a newly announced alternative route for crossing the strait — established without Tehran's coordination — was "illegal, unacceptable and highly dangerous," according to the report.

Iran's Gulf Waters Management Administration separately warned that unauthorized passage outside Iran-designated routes could create security risks and result in vessels being denied navigational services. It said responsibility for any consequences would fall on vessel owners, operators and commanders.