The American army stated on Saturday, April 11th that two of its destroyers crossed the Strait of Hormuz to begin demining operations in this strategic maritime route controlled by Iran, a claim denied by Tehran amid ongoing talks between the two countries in Pakistan.
The two ships operated as part of a broader mission to “ensure that the strait is completely cleared of marine mines previously laid by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards,” said the US military command for the Middle East (Centcom) in a statement.
These claims were strongly rejected by the spokesman for the Iranian armed forces, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, as reported by state television.
The announcement from Centcom came at the start of peace talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan, where the issue of traffic in the strait is crucial.
Navigation in this strategic maritime route for oil and global commerce remains impeded, nearly blocked by Iran since the start of the war, despite its reopening being a condition of the ceasefire.
“We have begun the process to establish a new passage, and we will soon share this safe route with the maritime industry to promote free commerce circulation,” said US Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Centcom, in a statement.
Additional US forces, including underwater drones, will join demining efforts in the coming days, according to the admiral. Former President Donald Trump also mentioned blocking the strait in a recent social media message.
The operation is presented as a “favor to countries around the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others,” wrote the American president.
Trump criticized the media for suggesting that Iran is winning the war against the US, claiming instead that they are losing and highlighted the threat of naval mines in the strait. He also claimed that empty tankers from various countries are heading to the US to be loaded with oil.
(Note: The article discusses the US military’s mission to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz amid conflicting statements from Iran and the US. President Trump’s comments on the situation are also highlighted.)
