UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Iran seizes two ships hours after Trump extends truce

Q1. Which one of the following straits is generally described as the world's single most important oil transit chokepoint?

  • A. Strait of Malacca
  • B. Strait of Hormuz
  • C. Bab-el-Mandeb Strait
  • D. Suez Canal approach

Q2. Under which Article of Iran's Constitution is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) defined as the 'guardian of the Revolution and of its achievements'?

  • A. Article 110
  • B. Article 143
  • C. Article 150
  • D. Article 176

Q3. With reference to Iran's naval and military command structure, which of the following statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. The IRGC Navy is primarily responsible for operations in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
  2. The IRGC Navy specializes in asymmetric tactics using large numbers of small fast attack craft.
  3. The regular (Artesh) Navy holds most of Iran's conventional major surface combatants and submarines.
  4. Both the IRGC and the Artesh report to a commander who is independent of the Supreme Leader.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 4 only

Q4. With reference to the 2026 US-Iran ceasefire episode and the Strait of Hormuz ship seizures, which of the following statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. The initial truce between the United States and Iran was reached through Qatari mediation.
  2. The two commercial vessels in the strait were seized by Iran's IRGC Navy.
  3. As part of extending the ceasefire, Iran agreed to immediately lift all restrictions on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
  4. Even after extending the ceasefire, the United States retained its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q5. The initial 2026 truce between the United States and Iran was brokered through the mediation of which one of the following countries?

  • A. Oman
  • B. Qatar
  • C. Turkey
  • D. Egypt

Q6. How many littoral (bordering) states does the Strait of Hormuz have?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q7. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait acquired much of its strategic significance as a global chokepoint following the opening of the Suez Canal in which year?

  • A. 1859
  • B. 1869
  • C. 1875
  • D. 1888

Q8. Approximately what percentage of India's LPG imports has typically passed through the Strait of Hormuz?

  • A. 45%
  • B. 60%
  • C. 75%
  • D. 90%

Q9. The 2020 agreement between the United States and the Taliban that paved the way for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was negotiated in which city, reflecting its role as the leading venue for that diplomacy?

  • A. Muscat
  • B. Doha
  • C. Ankara
  • D. Cairo