US declares Hormuz open to all vessels and free for transit
United States says shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains unrestricted (photo: Getty Images)
The Strait of Hormuz remains fully open to civilian shipping, and maritime traffic is currently moving without disruption, according to a statement by the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
Statement made by United States
CENTCOM says US military forces are deployed in the region and stand ready to ensure freedom of navigation through the strategic international waterway.
The command emphasized that Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz.
They added that any threats, harassment of vessels, or unilateral claims made by Tehran are unfounded and have not affected the steady flow of maritime traffic.
Tensions over Hormuz
Iran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz to shipping overnight on July 12, claiming that certain vessels had failed to comply with orders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Before that, the White House had already begun preparing for the possibility of a major military escalation with Tehran in the event of attacks on commercial shipping.
Ahead of the closure, the United States had sought to resolve the dispute through diplomatic channels and called on Iran to provide public guarantees for the safe passage of civilian vessels.
As previously reported, officials in the Trump administration had said the United States was prepared to fight Iran for control of the Strait of Hormuz after a previous agreement between the two countries collapsed.
Although the United States and Iran had initially agreed to continue negotiations to restore freedom of navigation, the situation quickly deteriorated.
Just hours after the diplomatic talks, Iran announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, halting all maritime traffic through the waterway.
