CENTCOM says more than 1b barrels of oil have passed through Hormuz
. . . denies Iran controls the Strait
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has rejected a claim by a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander that Iran has full control over the Strait of Hormuz, saying thousands of ships continue to transit the strategic waterway. In a post on X on Monday, CENTCOM said the claim that Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval forces was incorrect.
CENTCOM said the continued passage of commercial vessels through the waterway demonstrates that Iran does not control the strait, adding that more than 1 billion barrels of oil have passed through it in recent months. The statement comes amid heightened attention to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors and a critical route for Gulf oil exports, including those from Kuwait.
CENTCOM has previously reported that US forces have supported the transit of more than 2,000 commercial vessels through the strait while providing coordinated protection. It has also said that key transit lanes have been cleared of mines and that shipping activity has continued.
The US command also made a pointed reference to Iran’s naval capabilities, stating that Iran no longer has a naval force because, according to CENTCOM, US forces destroyed it. Iranian officials have made competing claims regarding their ability to control or restrict maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has maintained that commercial shipping continues to move through the waterway.
The dispute is particularly significant for Kuwait and other Gulf energy producers, whose exports and regional supply chains are closely connected to the strategic waterway. The latest CENTCOM statement comes as US and Iranian positions over maritime security, oil shipments and freedom of navigation remain sharply opposed.
