US CENTCOM Rejects Iran’s Claim of Full Control Over Strait of Hormuz

The U.S. Central Command has rejected Iran’s assertion that its forces have complete control over the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategic waterway remains accessible to commercial shipping.

CENTCOM responded on social media after a senior Iranian military commander said Iranian forces exercised full control over the Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding waters.

The U.S. military disputed the Iranian position and said Tehran did not have complete control over the strategically important maritime route.

CENTCOM said Iranian naval capabilities had been severely damaged by U.S. military action and argued that the continued movement of commercial vessels through the waterway contradicted claims of complete Iranian control.

The U.S. military also pointed to the volume of oil that has passed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months, saying more than one billion barrels had moved through the waterway.

The competing statements came after Iranian military officials publicly described the level of control maintained by Iranian forces across the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical route for international energy supplies, with significant quantities of crude oil and natural gas traditionally passing through the narrow waterway.

The dispute over the strait has become one of the central issues in the confrontation between Iran and the United States, with shipping activity and the security of commercial vessels remaining closely watched.

Iran has linked the full reopening of the waterway to conditions including reduced U.S. military pressure, while Washington has rejected Tehran’s position on control of the strategic route.