Iranian authorities reiterated this Sunday that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is provisionally suspended, in clear contradiction to the version of the United States, which assures that traffic "flows normally".
The Iranian Strait of the Persian Gulf Authority stated that "due to recent illegal movements of U.S. military forces in the region, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is currently not possible." The agency insists that the situation responds directly to the presence and actions of Washington's military units in the area.
The regulatory body further specified that "as soon as stability and calm are restored, all applications will be reviewed and the necessary permits will be issued according to the planned schedule," emphasizing that these authorizations will be processed exclusively through the Authority's official website (PGSA, according to its English acronym).
With this message, Tehran responds to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which had previously reported that maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz "flows normally."
In a statement released on social media, CENTCOM stressed that "the Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels wishing to transit legally through this international waterway" and remarked that "Iran does not control the strait. Maritime traffic flows normally."
Hours earlier, the Joint Operations Command of the United States and the United Kingdom had indicated that the southern route of the strait not only remained operational but had recently been expanded, although it urged merchant ships to take extreme security measures due to the tension in the area.
CENTCOM also recalled that, in the last two months, U.S. forces have facilitated the passage of more than 800 ships and the movement of more than 400 million barrels of crude oil, and that in the last week more than 140 vessels have crossed the strait.
For its part, Iran announced on Saturday night the closure of this strategic corridor in response to the latest U.S. attacks, carried out after a series of incidents against merchant ships in Hormuz waters.