IRGC: 2 oil tankers exploded in Strait of Hormuz
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- IRGC said on Monday (07/20/26) that two oil tankers exploded after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, labeling the vessels 'deviant'
- The IRGC blamed the explosions on the ships entering and exiting the strait via an 'unsafe route,' according to state-run Fars News Agency
- Fars News Agency added that the tankers were 'instigated...' with the statement cut off mid-quote, framing the incident as the ships' own doing
Why it matters: The IRGC's language — 'deviant' tankers, 'unsafe route' — frames the explosions as the fault of the vessels rather than an Iranian attack, giving Tehran a pre-built denial narrative for striking commercial shipping in a strait through which a significant share of global oil passes.
