Safe navigation will not return to the Strait of Hormuz as long as U.S. forces remain in the region, an Iranian military analyst said.
Hossein Kanani Moghaddam, previously a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), told China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Saturday that safe passage in the Persian Gulf is threatened by the continued presence of U.S. military bases.
"As long as the Americans remain in this region and maintain their bases, there will be no security in the Persian Gulf, and all countries cooperating with the U.S. are at risk. Of course, we are implementing smart control: Ships that request permission from us and are granted it will be allowed to pass. But for the U.S., its allies, and Arab countries that act against us, there is no security," said Moghaddam.
"This is not just about security - it's also about skyrocketing insurance costs, high risks, and extreme shipping expenses and also delays caused by stopping ships at sea could push the price of oil to 200 dollars per barrel," he said.
The Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route, remains open and under Iranian control, a senior Iranian commander said on Saturday, amid rising tensions with the United States and its allies.
Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the IRGC Navy, said in a statement that claims by the United States about destroying Iran's navy or providing safe escort for oil tankers were false, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed the message, telling U.S. media that the strait remained open for international shipping except for vessels belonging to the United States, Israel, and their allies.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes. In his first message as Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei pledged to maintain leverage over the strait.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday urged countries dependent on oil shipments through the strait to take responsibility for keeping it open, with American assistance. Washington has been trying to ease high oil prices amid the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, triggering Iran's retaliations on U.S. assets across the region.
No security in Strait of Hormuz with US presence: former IRGC commander
