Colonel Ali Mohammadi, deputy commander for political affairs of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, rejected US President Donald Trump’s remarks that the Strait of Hormuz was under Washington’s control. Mohammadi said Iranian forces would respond if US vessels approached the strategic waterway.
Referring to Trump’s statement, Mohammadi said, "Then bring one of your warships to within 100 kilometers." Mohammadi claimed that US forces would face a response if they approached the Strait of Hormuz and alleged that a similar incident had occurred in recent days.
Claim of surveillance in the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf waters
Mohammadi claimed that major foreign militaries had remained beyond the Gulf of Oman for months. He alleged that no US troops or military equipment were present in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Oman.
Mohammadi said the IRGC Navy kept the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman under "complete" surveillance, adding that vessels departing from Kuwait and Bahrain were being monitored. He said these vessels could face intervention if they violated rules set by Tehran.
Defense of claims about US bases and naval vessels
Mohammadi also claimed that US military bases in the Gulf countries had been rendered "inoperative." He said Iranian forces had carried out preemptive operations against US bases, warships and other naval vessels deemed to have violated Tehran’s rules.
Trump’s remarks on the Strait of Hormuz
Trump, who has repeatedly said during the ongoing conflict with Iran that the Strait of Hormuz was under US control, announced earlier this month that US forces had struck 28 Iranian boats and vessels. Trump said, "We now control the Strait of Hormuz."
On Wednesday, Trump also said that the US was "winning" the war with Iran and repeated his claim of control over the strategic waterway. The US president additionally proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz the "Trump Strait."
