TEHRAN/WASHINGTON — Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington has “total control” over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, insisting that the waterway remains under Iranian control and management.
Trump said on Wednesday that the United States had “total control” of the strait and suggested Washington intended to keep that control, describing the US naval blockade as a “wall of steel.
Iranian officials have strongly disputed the assertion. Hossein Taeb, head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary organisation, said on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz remains “under Iran’s control and management”, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. (Reuters)
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority has also said that the waterway remains blocked and will not be reopened until Tehran’s conditions are accepted. (ABC News)
The confrontation has had a major impact on commercial shipping. Before the conflict, around 130 vessels a day were reported to pass through the strait. Recent tracking data showed only eight vessels crossed on Tuesday, highlighting the dramatic reduction in traffic. (CBS News)
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and providing a crucial passage for global oil shipments.
⚠️ Tension remains high
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that the United States could make an even “bigger miscalculation” over Hormuz, accusing Washington of intelligence failures in its approach to the conflict. (Al Jazeera)
The competing claims over who controls the waterway come as US-Iran negotiations remain stalled, raising concerns that continued disruption could further affect global energy markets and international shipping.
