Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency quoted Hossein Taeb, commander of the paramilitary Basij force, on Thursday as stating that the Strait of Hormuz is "under the control and management of Iran."
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This statement comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that the United States holds "total control" over the strategic waterway.
Taeb stated that the United States sought to undermine what he described as Iran's popularity in the region by launching another war in the Strait of Hormuz, but was defeated once again despite claiming that Iran possesses neither an air force nor a navy.
"Today, you see that the Strait of Hormuz is under the management and control of the Islamic Republic," Taeb added, emphasizing that Iran continues its path with complete security.
Trump had accused Iran of lacking a navy or air force, claiming that its remaining soldiers are unpaid. He stated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been "destroyed" and its members are fleeing, describing Iran's leadership as "unstable at best."
Trump added that Iran has "no money" and that the country's economy is "shattered," asserting that all it possesses is "fake news and 300% inflation, which is getting worse."
Describing Iran as "the bully of the Middle East who is no longer so," Trump concluded his post with "Praise God."
Iran has laid out six conditions for the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, most notably: ending military operations, lifting sanctions and the blockade, withdrawing U.S. forces from its surroundings, paying compensation for war damages, and unfreezing Iranian assets. Meanwhile, Washington stated that Tehran pledged not to impose fees on ships and to allow the flow of oil through the strait, amid ongoing negotiations mediated by Oman regarding navigation arrangements.
Tehran has threatened to target regional infrastructure if the United States carries out its threats to strike vital facilities inside Iran. It has also asked the Houthis in Yemen to prepare to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea should Iran's power grid be targeted.
In the context of the ongoing escalation, the United States reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz following renewed clashes—described as the fiercest since a ceasefire between the two parties came into effect in April.
Iran warned that resuming the naval blockade on its ports undermines the memorandum of understanding reached with Washington.
The war erupted on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched attacks on Iran, to which Tehran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz—which, prior to the war, served as the primary transit route for nearly a fifth of the world's energy supplies.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the central flashpoints of the conflict. Iran's control over the strait has granted it immense leverage, effectively providing Tehran with a critical bargaining chip.
Reuters
