Iran has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategically important waterway remains under Tehran’s control.
Hossein
Taeb, the newly appointed head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, made the statement on Thursday, a day after Trump said the United States controlled the key shipping route.
Taeb accused the US of trying to weaken Iran’s standing in the region by starting another war over the Strait of Hormuz. He said Washington had failed in its efforts despite claiming that Iran did not have an air force or a navy.
Iran Says Strait Remains Under Its Management
“Today you see that the Strait of Hormuz is under the management and control of the Islamic Republic,” Taeb said, according to semi-official Fars news.
He added that Iran was continuing with its operations while maintaining what he described as complete security.
Strait Effectively Shut After War
The dispute over the waterway comes after the war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Following the attacks, Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a major global energy route that previously carried around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
The US later announced a naval blockade targeting Iranian shipping and ports. Washington, however, said it would continue to safeguard freedom of navigation for vessels travelling to and from ports outside Iran.
The remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump asserted that Washington had gained “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz and suggested that the United States intended to maintain its grip over the strategically vital waterway.
Trump also defended the US naval blockade, calling it a “wall of steel”, while making a series of critical remarks about Iran’s military strength and economic condition.
In a statement, Trump said, “The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!”
Ceasefire Deal Failed To Restore Navigation
In June, Iran and the US reached an interim agreement that included a permanent ceasefire and called for the quick restoration of free navigation through the Gulf.
However, the arrangement broke down several weeks later after Iran resumed limited attacks on vessels it accused of violating the terms of the deal.
The US then resumed strikes on Iran’s southern provinces. Washington said the attacks were intended to reduce Tehran’s ability to target ships operating in the Gulf.
Iran Warns Of Stronger Response In Future War
Meanwhile, senior military and political official Rasoul Sanaei-Rad said Iran would not reopen the Strait until the other side met its obligations under the interim agreement.
According to Fars, he said reopening the waterway was not something the US could force on its own.
Sanaei-Rad also warned that Iran would take a tougher approach if another conflict breaks out.
“In a possible future war, we will stand more firmly and more offensively,” he said.
