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A senior Iranian official on Thursday dismissed assertions by US President Donald Trump regarding American authority over the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining that the crucial maritime corridor remains firmly under Tehran's jurisdiction.
Hossein Taeb, who leads the paramilitary Basij force under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), delivered the response during a broadcast on Iranian state television. "Today, you see that the Strait of Hormuz is under the management and control of the Islamic Republic, and our country continues on its path in complete security," Taeb stated. His comments follow statements made a day earlier by Trump, who claimed Washington had secured control over the vital global energy transit route. "The USA has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!" Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday. "Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, 'A WALL OF STEEL,' and there is nothing Iran can do about it," the US President added. While Washington has repeatedly asserted its command over the strategic passage, Tehran has consistently countered those claims, reiterating its intention to institute a toll mechanism along the route. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also condemned Washington's assertions regarding the waterway. "The US has long miscalculated due to intelligence failures. Case in point: the war on Iran. Now, an even bigger miscalculation on the Strait of Hormuz," Araghchi posted on X. Furthermore, Iranian legislators emphasised that operational limitations through the corridor are specifically aimed at American and Israeli traffic. Speaking on state television, Behnam Saeedi, a member of Iran's parliament and its National Security Commission, affirmed that transit remains prohibited for vessels affiliated with Israel and the US. "Ships belonging to the Zionist regime will not have the right to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under any circumstances, whether in war or peacetime," Saeedi said. Saeedi added that "US military ships will also be barred from passing through the Strait". Meanwhile, Tehran and Oman are conducting separate discussions regarding the establishment of an alternative passage within the Strait of Hormuz, though an agreement remains unfinalised. Iranian authorities have indicated that any prospective route would not guarantee the immediate resumption of normal maritime traffic. Tehran maintains that the US must address its broader diplomatic demands before standard navigation can resume, keeping the maritime corridor at the centre of the ongoing geopolitical standoff. (ANI)
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