Live Updates: Iran says Strait of Hormuz will reopen if U.S. leaves the region: news

Live Updates: Iran Says Strait of Hormuz Will Reopen if U.S. Leaves the Region

Tehran has announced that the critical Strait of Hormuz maritime corridor will reopen only when the United States withdraws its military forces entirely from the Middle East.

Iranian Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia stated that the strategic transit chokepointwhich normally carries roughly a fifth of the world’s petroleum supplywill resume standard international navigation once American forces depart. In a public declaration, Akraminia asserted that removing the U.S. presence would allow regional nations to establish collective maritime security and restore stability to global energy markets, adding that if U.S. forces do not withdraw voluntarily, Iran intends to expel them.

The ultimatum underscores severe ongoing disruption to Persian Gulf shipping and international commerce. While Washington continues to push for unrestricted freedom of navigation and disputes Iran’s operational control over international waters, Iranian military officials maintain that uncoordinated commercial transits remain barred under current standoff conditions. Global crude oil benchmarks and maritime freight operators remain on high alert as regional tensions dictate access to the vital waterway.