IRGC Navy commander says US forces moved 600–700 km from Strait of Hormuz

A commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said that US forces are no longer present in the Persian Gulf and have moved 600 to 700 kilometers away from the Strait of Hormuz, according to Mehr News. “Today, the Americans are not present in the Persian Gulf. They have moved 600 to 700 kilometers away from the Strait of Hormuz, and their vessels are no longer seen in the area,” the commander, identified as Ozamayi, said. He added that “the United States no longer has a place in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The remarks came hours after US President Donald Trump accused Iran of trying to drive up oil prices ahead of the US midterm elections by spreading what he described as “fake news” about mine explosions and attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the volume of oil transiting the strait had now exceeded pre-war levels and argued that Iran was resorting to various measures to push oil prices higher. Iranian officials have not responded to the specific allegations in the report.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a significant share of global seaborne oil passes, and it has long been a focal point of tension between Iran and the United States. The two countries have repeatedly traded statements over freedom of navigation and military presence in the region.

In market reaction, Brent crude prices rose above $113 per barrel on Friday, reaching their highest level in five months, according to the report. The price movement coincided with the exchange of statements over the strait and the oil market.

According to Mehr News, the IRGC Navy commander's comments were made in the context of the ongoing dispute over the US military presence in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.