Iran’s IRGC says two tankers, tugboat were ablaze in Hormuz Strait

Iran’s IRGC says two tankers, tugboat were ablaze in Hormuz Strait

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. 

According to the statement, the separate incidents occurred after the vessels were attempting to pass through an "unauthorised route", 

One large oil tanker was passing through what the IRGC described as an "illegal southern passageway", hitting a mine and catching fire. 

Another supertanker, leaving eastern section of the waterway, was caught in a massive fire. A tugboat that was deployed to extinguish the blaze subsequently burst into flames.

"The US regime, which imposes very heavy insurance costs on American taxpayers and its allies in the region by insisting and inciting vessels to violate and pass through mined passages, would not have suffered these heavy losses and a disgraceful electoral defeat if it had had some foresight, instead of paying these costs by releasing Iran's frozen credits, which are not less than half of these costs that have been made so far," the statement added, referring to the nationwide Democrats' sweep during the midterm elections.

"Attempting to break the law in the Strait of Hormuz will not result in anything other than more financial losses and greater political defeats for the US."