Iran on the 17th (local time) will close the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global crude shipments, for a set period for military drills.
AFP and AP, citing Iranian state TV, reported the move. Iranian state TV said a section of the Strait of Hormuz would be closed for several hours to comply with safety and vessel navigation rules while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conducts military exercises.
The announcement of the temporary closure plan for the Strait of Hormuz came as U.S.-Iran talks, mediated by Oman over Iran's nuclear program, began that day in Geneva, Switzerland.
The United States is massing military power, including deploying a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to waters near Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy also began large-scale military drills in the Strait of Hormuz, including missile launches, a day before the talks. AP said this is the first time Iran has partially closed the Strait of Hormuz since the United States moved to threaten Iran militarily in recent days.