Iran has declared full control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit route, rejecting claims by former US President Donald Trump that the United States maintains dominance over the waterway. The commander of Iran's paramilitary Basij Organisation stated on Thursday, August 13, 2026, that the strait is “under Iran’s control and management.” This statement was made a day after Trump posted on his Truth Social platform asserting US “total control” of the strait.

Hojjatoleslam Hossein Taeb, quoted by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, affirmed, “Today you see that the Strait of Hormuz is under the management and control of the Islamic Republic, and our country continues on its path in complete security.”

Since the onset of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, 2026, Tehran has effectively blocked the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas previously transited. Senior military political official Rasoul Sanaei-Rad added that Iran will not reopen the strait unless the US fulfills its commitments under an interim deal aimed at ending the war, emphasizing that reopening is not something the US can achieve unilaterally.

Michael Stephens, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), commented that Iran is aiming to prolong the war, believing the economic pressure does not threaten the survival of its government.

Sources