Top Commander: Hormuz Under Full Control of IRGC, Army
TEHRAN -- A senior Iranian military commander said on Monday that Iran exercises full control over the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, reiterating the armed forces’ readiness to confront any threat.
“The western part of the Strait of Hormuz, the strait itself, and the Persian Gulf are under the full control of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy, while the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz and the northern Indian Ocean are under the full control of the Army Navy,” Army Chief of Staff and Deputy Coordinator Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said.
“We act powerfully in the northern Sea of Oman and east of the Strait of Hormuz and will not allow anyone to pass,” he added.
Sayyari emphasized that the Army has identified its weaknesses and is working to address them while preparing for future developments. “Today, we can say that we are far more prepared than before,” he said.
The commander’s remarks came as Iranian Parliament Speaker Muhammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday night pushed back on U.S. claims that the Strait is “open”.
“The American gaslighting bureau says Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz, but the market gives a massive premium: $35 higher than before the aggression, and $50 higher based on physical oil prices. So either the market is stupid, or the American narrative whitewashing machine is lying,” he wrote on X.
IRGC spokesman General Hussein Mohebbi announced Sunday night on social media that the IRGC Navy captured a second U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz, identified as the “Kingfish Mk 18 Mod 2” - an advanced autonomous underwater vehicle equipped with sonar and precision navigation.
On September 8, the IRGC had already captured a U.S. “smart unmanned underwater vehicle” at the entrance to the Strait. “This is not just a trophy, but a technological and intelligence prize,” Mohebbi said.
Data from the international tracking platform “Strait of Hormuz Monitor” shows that only two vessels transited the Strait in the past 24 hours, with no vessels currently underway.