Iran Issues New Warning to Europe Against Deploying Warships to Hormuz — IRGC Reiterates Designated Corridors; 20+ US Warships Enforce Blockade — Day 73

On May 11, 2026 (Day 73), Iran issued a new warning directed specifically at European nations, cautioning them against deploying warships to the Strait of Hormuz as nuclear negotiations stalled following Trump's rejection of the Iranian counter-proposal. The IRGC simultaneously reiterated that all commercial vessels transiting the strait must use Iran-designated corridors near Larak Island in the northern part of the strait; other areas are reportedly mined, with Iran having given no formal map of the mine locations to international maritime authorities. The War Zone reported that more than 20 US warships, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, remained on blockade enforcement duty as of May 11. Traffic through the strait continued at approximately 5% of pre-war averages, and the approximately 1,550 vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf region remained in place with no clear resolution timeline. Iran's warning to Europe was interpreted as an effort to internationalize the standoff and complicate US-led enforcement, which so far had no European participation.