IRGC seizes second unmanned US sub in Hormuz, threatens Washington
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Sunday the seizure of a second unmanned US submarine in the Strait of Hormuz during a “complex and coordinated operation.” The IRGC said the vessel was conducting espionage missions, further complicating the crisis and reinforcing Iranian expectations of a new US attack in the coming days.
The vessel, identified as a Remus 600 autonomous submarine used for undersea surveys and data collection, is now with Iranian specialists to recover stored data, according to the IRGC navy. It remains unclear from available information whether the sub’s assigned mission was actually intelligence-related.
The capture follows Iran’s announcement two weeks ago that it had seized an American Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle, developed by US defense contractor Anduril, at the entrance to the Strait.
The submarine incident is inseparable from the broader conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, which has become a central leverage card in the war between Iran, the United States and Israel. Continued fighting in the area has severely disrupted navigation, sending shockwaves through global oil, shipping and energy markets.
In recent days, Tehran proposed an agreement through Qatari mediators to reopen the waterway and end the fighting. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the proposed deal could initiate a seven-day process to reopen the Strait, followed by broader talks between Washington and Tehran on agreed issues, including the nuclear program.
Under the Iranian proposal, implementation is contingent on the United States reducing military pressure and lifting its naval blockade on Iranian ports, with Tehran emphasizing that reopening the Strait cannot be decoupled from its conditions.
US President Donald Trump rejected the proposal on Saturday, stating that Tehran is seeking a quick agreement to reopen the Strait because it is suffering heavy losses.
However, Araghchi said Sunday that mediators have not officially conveyed a US refusal to Tehran, adding that his country is awaiting “final views” from the mediators and reiterating that a negotiated solution remains the only path out of the crisis.
Alongside its diplomatic push, Iranian military leadership warned of severe consequences in the event of renewed US strikes.
The spokesman for the Iranian army, Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia, said the Iranian armed forces are ready for any new US attack, warning that the United States would suffer greater damage if it decided to resume military operations against his country.
The commander-in-chief of the Iranian army, Major General Amir Hatami, said the war has reached a critical and decisive stage, warning that regional instability will affect all parties and stating that Iran will not tolerate being barred from trade while foreign powers navigate the region’s strategic waterways.
Armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, said the armed forces and the Iranian people stand ready to counter any US or Israeli aggression, highlighting enhanced missile and drone capabilities.
Shekarchi further warned that any vessel attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz outside the routes specified by Iran would be exposed to risk, enforcing ongoing restrictions Tehran says it has imposed on navigation in the Strait.