US rejects Iran’s claim of control over Strait of Hormuz

US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday rejected Iran’s claim of authority over the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategic waterway remains open to international traffic.

“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said on US social media platform X, labeling recent assertions by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as false.

The command said that US forces have helped more than 900 ships transit the strait since early May.

It also said that the forces have redirected nine commercial vessels and disabled one while enforcing a naval blockade against Iran.

The US has been carrying out a series of strikes across Iran since last week, while Tehran has responded with strikes targeting facilities and bases it says are used by the US military in several countries across the region.

The exchange of fire has continued despite a Pakistani-brokered framework agreement signed by the US and Iran in June to end the war that began in February and pave the way for a lasting peace deal.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes, has become a focal point of tensions since the outbreak of the Iran-US war in February and subsequent disputes over navigation through the strategic waterway.