Iran’s military says it is resuming its control of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media.

The Fars News Agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Iranian Students News Agency and state broadcaster IRIB cite a statement from the IRGC saying that the strait will return “to its previous state”, with armed forces controlling the area.

“We previously saw some shipping vessels transiting the waterway – but it’s unclear how much marine traffic has made it through the critical shipping lane,” a reliable source told BBC.

The military statement accuses the US of “piracy”, saying that its “so-called blockade” amounts to maritime robbery. Iran previously said that it would shut the strait if the US continued its blockade of its ports.