CENTCOM: Maritime Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz Operating Normally

ARK News.. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied reports by a senior Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed, stressing that maritime traffic through the strategic waterway is operating normally and that the area remains under the control and security of the United States and its regional partners.

In an official statement, CENTCOM described remarks by a senior adviser to the IRGC commander-in-chief claiming that the strait had been closed and that Iran had established full control over it as “baseless claims with no foundation.”

CENTCOM also said commercial vessels and energy tankers continue to transit the strait regularly, including shipments carrying nearly 20 million barrels of crude oil. It stressed that U.S. forces and their regional partners continue to monitor and secure the vital waterway to ensure freedom of international trade.

Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a senior adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s IRGC, said in remarks to Al-Alam TV that “the strait is closed and under Iran’s full control,” claiming that “this situation will continue until Iran’s legitimate demands are met.”

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