Washington, DC [US], July 12 (ANI): US President Donald Trump asserted on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic, dismissing Iranian claims of control following a series of intense US military strikes in the region.
In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, the President signalled a complete collapse of recent diplomatic efforts with Iran, revealing that a tentative agreement with Tehran had been shattered by alleged Iranian military strike against commercial vessel.
President Trump described a near-miss in negotiations that he claimed took place on Saturday, where he claimed Iranian representatives had agreed to significant concessions, including the total cessation of nuclear and military posturing.
“We had meetings with them. They agreed to a deal yesterday. A perfect deal for us. No nuclear, no this, no that, no nothing. They gave up everything, and then after that, they left the room and then within an hour they launched a drone at a ship,” Trump said.
The President characterised the Iranian leadership in harsh terms, stating, “They are very, very evil and sick people. It’s one of those things.”
Addressing the status of the vital maritime chokepoint, President Trump confirmed that the US had responded to the renewed Iranian aggression with significant military force.
“It’s open,” the President said regarding the Strait of Hormuz. “We bombed the hell out of them last night,” he added.
His remarks come as the US Central Command dismissed Iranian authority over the Strait of Hormuz and affirmed that the critical chokehold remains open despite the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s declaration of its closure.
Posting a “fact-check” in a post on X, CENTCOM wrote, “CLAIM: The Iranian commander for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Navy recently said on state-owned media that no foreign vessels may pass through the Strait of Hormuz without being identified, tracked, and monitored by Iranian forces.”
“FACT: Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. It remains an international waterway. U.S. forces are positioned and prepared to keep it that way,” it added.
However, Iran doubled down on the US while insisting that the passage through the Strait of Hormuz remains closed after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that the “traffic is flowing.”
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), an official Iranian maritime body established to regulate and control transit through the Strait of Hormuz, stated in a post on X that the passage has been closed due to “recent illegal movements” of the US military and will be permitted only through a “transit permit” issued by PGSA.
It added that the requests regarding the transit will be reviewed “as soon as stability and calm are restored” in the region.
“We hereby inform all esteemed applicants. Due to the recent illegal movements of the United States military forces in the region, passage through the Strait of Hormuz is currently not possible. As soon as stability and calm are restored, all requests will be reviewed based on the schedule, and the necessary permits will be issued,” PGSA stated.
“The only way to obtain a transit permit is through the website To receive the latest news and updates, follow our account on the social network X. We appreciate your patience and cooperation,” it added.
The clarification comes shortly after the US Central Command claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is “open to all vessels”. (ANI)
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