'Claims Do Not Match Reality': Iran Rejects US Claims Over Hormuz Control
Tehran dismisses Washington's assertions that maritime control has been restored in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, citing foreign military aggression.
Tehran has officially dismissed recent assertions from Washington claiming that maritime control and normal shipping flows have been restored in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei asserted that Tehran maintains total control over the crucial energy corridor, directly contradicting the American narrative.
Tehran Defies US Narrative
Baghaei emphasized that the realities of the market and the situation on the ground do not align with official statements coming from the United States. He suggested that while Washington may claim the Strait of Hormuz is no longer under Iranian influence, Tehran continues to exercise its own strategic measures.
"The claims of the Americans do not correspond to what we see on the ground," Baghaei stated. He further noted that despite claims that Iran has lost its leverage, the country remains active in managing the waterway.
Accusations of Media Campaigns
The Iranian spokesperson took aim at Western media outlets, accusing them of participating in a coordinated campaign to misrepresent the causes of global commodity price spikes and shipping instability. He argued that there is an attempt to flip the "cause and effect" regarding the current maritime disruptions.
According to Tehran, the Strait was open and functioning normally prior to March 21, and the current instability is a direct consequence of foreign intervention. Iran maintains that its current operations along its coastline are legal countermeasures following joint military actions by US and Israeli forces that utilized the corridor as a staging area starting March 29.
The Blockade and Security Stalemate
The diplomatic friction follows recent comments from US President Donald Trump, who claimed that record volumes of oil—up to 22 million barrels in a single night—were flowing through the waterway without Iranian involvement. Despite these claims of high volume, the US maintains that a blockade against Iranian maritime traffic remains in full effect.
Iran has made it clear that normal maritime operations will not resume until the United States halts its naval blockade, economic warfare, and hostile posture. Officials acknowledged that while Iran also relies on the safety of the corridor and does not seek a prolonged crisis, the responsibility for the instability lies squarely with foreign military intervention.
Demands for International Action
Tehran has urged international governments concerned about global energy security to focus their diplomatic pressure on stopping American military actions rather than criticizing Iran. Baghaei warned that as long as the US continues to destabilize the region through naval blockades and economic warfare, security will not return to the waterway.
The standoff remains intense as both sides offer conflicting signals:
- Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, described the US response to Iranian terms as "inadequate," noting that while some conditions were met, there will be no return to the previous status quo.
- Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, maintained a hard line, stating the Strait will remain closed until the US meets all seven conditions outlined in the June Memorandum of Understanding.
- President Donald Trump has stated that "productive discussions" are underway and ruled out US military strikes against Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, while affirming that the blockade remains in force.
Baghaei concluded by calling on global powers to address the true cause of the conflict, urging them to hold the United States accountable for its military and economic actions to ensure global energy stability.