Iran: we will attack any ship trying to pass through Strait of Hormuz

The strait is the world's most vital oil export route, which connects the biggest gulf oil producers, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The closure was triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 seeking to topple its leaders, with US President Donald Trump offering Iranians help in ousting the ruling clerics.

In response, Iran fired several barrages of missiles at its Persian Gulf neighbours hosting US military bases such as Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Tehran also fired missiles at the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

With this closure, Tehran made good on years of threats to block the narrow waterway in retaliation for any attack on the Islamic Republic.