An Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy commander has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims about oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that global oil markets would have responded differently if Washington’s account reflected the reality on the ground.
Ali Mohammadi, the IRGC Navy’s deputy for political affairs, made the remarks in an interview with Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. He questioned the U.S. administration’s assertions about the movement of commercial vessels through the strategically important waterway.
“If oil tankers were really passing through the Strait of Hormuz, why isn’t the oil market reacting accordingly?” Mohammadi said, arguing that the market itself indicated that Trump’s account was untrue.
The Iranian commander also challenged U.S. claims that the IRGC Navy had been effectively destroyed. He questioned why American forces were reportedly operating hundreds of kilometres away from the strait rather than moving closer to the waterway.
Mohammadi said the IRGC Navy continues to maintain a significant military presence and surveillance capability across the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. He asserted that Iranian forces are closely monitoring both maritime traffic and the surrounding airspace.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the United States has control over the Strait of Hormuz and has used the waterway’s reopening as a central issue in his confrontation with Tehran. In late September, he said he had rejected an Iranian proposal linked to reopening the strait.
The dispute comes as shipping through Hormuz remains highly disrupted. Reuters reported on Thursday that only seven commodity vessels passed through the strait on October 6, the lowest daily figure in more than two months. Crude oil flows through the waterway also fell to about 10.1 million barrels per day, roughly 74% of pre-war levels.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, have continued to assert control over the waterway. On Wednesday, an adviser to the IRGC commander said Iran would soon close what it described as “illegal routes” near Oman’s coast and maintained that Tehran had full control of the strait.
The competing claims underscore the strategic importance of Hormuz, through which a substantial share of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies traditionally passes. With tanker attacks and security risks continuing, disruptions in the strait are still contributing to volatility in global energy markets.
