The United States Central Command (CENTCOM), responding to recent statements by military officials of the Islamic Republic, strongly rejected Tehran’s claim to control the Strait of Hormuz and emphasized the continued control of the vital waterway by U.S. forces and their regional allies. The response came after the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ navy claimed that the Strait of Hormuz was under the complete control of Iranian forces and that any U.S. warship approaching the area would be targeted and sunk.
In a message posted by CENTCOM on the social media platform X, it firmly rejected the threats, writing bluntly that the IRGC navy commander does not even have a navy and that U.S. forces and their regional partners clearly control the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command also stated that its forces had managed, on Monday alone, to help their partners in the Gulf states ensure the safe passage of more than 19 million barrels of crude oil through the strategic strait.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy-transit routes, has long been a focal point of geopolitical tensions. Military officials of the Islamic Republic have repeatedly sought to influence the region’s economic and security developments by threatening to close the waterway. Despite CENTCOM’s emphasis on maintaining security and full control over this maritime route, recent reports by maritime organizations continue to point to ongoing security threats and challenges to commercial shipping in the region.
