US CentCom rejects Iran claim of Hormuz closure as oil exports continue

The United States Central Command (CentCom) has dismissed claims by Tehran that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, confirming that approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil continue to transit the waterway daily. In a statement issued on Wednesday, 7 October, the military command labelled Iranian reports of full control over the maritime corridor as "false." Maritime Traffic Continues The official US response followed comments from Mohammadreza Naqdi, an adviser to the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who claimed the strategic passage was shut. CentCom countered this on social media platform X, stating that traffic is flowing normally, carrying both commercial goods and essential energy supplies. "The United States and regional partners clearly control the strait," the command stated. The dispute over the waterway, which handles roughly a fifth of the world's total oil consumption, comes as Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei announced an understanding with Oman regarding safe navigational corridors. According to the state-run IRNA news agency, the two nations have agreed on geographical coordinates for routes through the strait and intend to present the proposal to international maritime authorities. U.S. Enforces Blockade The escalation in rhetoric follows remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who characterized the U.S. naval presence in the region as an "impenetrable blockade" against Iranian interests. Speaking in…