People across Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China celebrated the Corban Festival on Friday with singing, dancing and other activities.
The Corban Festival, also known as Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, is one of the major festivals of Muslims in China.
In Tekes County of Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, a lively celebration drew thousands of locals to gather together and sing songs to express their joy.
In Tuancheng Old Town in Xinjiang's Hotan City, people from various ethnic groups, in their festive best, gathered to sing, dance, and share the happiness of the festival.
"People are gathering here to sing and dance to celebrate the festival. I will later visit my relatives and friends to share the joy brought by this festival," said Aidina Aireti, a local resident.
Captivated by the festive atmosphere, numerous tourists joined in the lively dance. Su Hongyan, a visitor from central China's Changsha City, put on traditional local attire and danced with enthusiasm. She said that the stunning scenery, delectable cuisine, and warm hospitality of the locals left a deep impression on her and her friends.
"It's my first time in Hotan. The scenery is beautiful and the people here are very warm. Yesterday, I was invited by a local to have dinner at his home. The food was delicious and I was very happy," Su said.
Many tourists were recording the moment of happiness with their phones and cameras.
"I was dancing and felt their enthusiasm, and they invited me to join in the dance. I took a lot of photos and posted them on WeChat Moments to share the festive atmosphere with my friends," said Xu Zhaoping, a tourist from south China's Guangdong Province.
Corban Festival celebrated in China's Xinjiang
The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked since Saturday evening and will not reopen until the United States lifts its naval blockade on the waterway.
In a statement carried by its official news outlet Sepah News, the IGRC said that the move came after the United States violated its commitments under the two-week ceasefire, which took effect on April 8, and failed to end its naval blockade against Iranian vessels and ports.
The IRGC Navy called on all vessels and their owners to follow official updates via its channel and VHF Channel 16, the international maritime distress, safety, and calling frequency. The statements by U.S. President Donald Trump hold no credibility in the strait and the Gulf, it added.
The IRGC warned that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Gulf or the Gulf of Oman, and any approach to the strait would be deemed "cooperation with the enemy" and targeted accordingly.
Tehran's political leadership echoed the IRGC's firm position. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iran's control, revealing that during previous negotiations, Iran had firmly countered U.S. attempts to carry out minesweeping operations, which Tehran viewed as a ceasefire violation.
He said the situation had come close to conflict, but the U.S. had eventually backed off.
Calling the U.S. maritime blockade "reckless and ignorant," Ghalibaf warned that passage through the strait would certainly be restricted if Washington does not lift the blockade.
Underpinning these public announcements, Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Saturday affirmed the country's resolve to exercise control and supervision over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war is definitively ended and lasting peace is achieved in the region.
For its part, the United States pressed ahead with its own military measures.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Saturday that the U.S. military is imposing a maritime blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports and nearby coastal areas. Since the blockade began on April 13, 23 ships have complied with U.S. directions to turn around.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military is preparing in the coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing U.S. officials.
The move will enable the U.S. to take control of Iran-linked vessels around the world, including ships carrying Iranian oil that are already sailing outside the Persian Gulf and those carrying arms that could support Tehran, the report said.
Iran's IRGC says Strait of Hormuz blocked, demands end to US naval blockade
