Iran says Hormuz remains under its control
Iran’s Basij chief said the Strait of Hormuz remains under Islamic Republic control and claimed recent US efforts to spark a new confrontation in the strategic waterway have failed. Hossein Taeb said Washington and its allies tried to alter the regional balance through another conflict in the strait, but were unable to achieve their goals. In his account, Iran has maintained full security there despite claims by its adversaries that it lacks naval and air capabilities.
He pointed to a recent understanding between Iran and the United States aimed at ending the latest cycle of tension, under which Iran agreed to allow fee-free maritime transit through the strait for a limited period and arranged a special route for ships. He said Tehran also warned vessels not to use illegal lanes, while the United States tried to undermine Iranian sovereignty by creating an unsafe corridor near Omani waters. Iran then reimposed restrictions, saying any passage through the chokepoint must follow Iranian arrangements. A senior security official also said full reopening of the strait would only happen if Washington accepts Iran’s conditions.
Taeb also used the remarks to highlight what he described as Iran’s regional influence. He said the large turnout at funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Iraq showed the depth of support for Iran and surprised the United States and its allies. He argued that the scale of participation proved that political popularity and regional standing cannot be measured by enemy calculations, and that Iran’s influence was visible across several cities in Iran and Iraq during the ceremonies.
According to the text, the funerals followed a deadly US-Israeli attack in Tehran that killed the leader and several senior military commanders. The ceremonies were said to have drawn millions across multiple cities, with officials presenting the turnout as evidence of broad public loyalty and regional backing for the Islamic Revolution.
