IRGC Navy says US lures tankers toward Strait of Hormuz danger

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy said the United States military, which it described as a "smuggling army," does not dare approach the Strait of Hormuz itself and instead lures "poor tankers" into "fiery walls" with the "lie" that the strait is open, Mehr News Agency (MNA) reported.

In a post on social media, the IRGC Navy command said the "humiliated" U.S. military drags the vessels into danger by claiming the waterway is open. The statement did not provide further details on specific incidents, dates or the vessels involved.

The remarks concern the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a large share of global seaborne oil shipments passes. The IRGC Navy is the branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guards responsible for maritime operations in the Gulf region.

The IRGC Navy's characterization of the U.S. military as a "smuggling army" and its claim that American forces avoid approaching the strait directly were presented in the post without supporting evidence cited in the report. The U.S. side has not responded to the statement in the MNA report.

According to Mehr News Agency, the IRGC Navy made the comments in a social media post, describing the U.S. military as "humiliated" and accusing it of drawing tankers into danger by asserting that the Strait of Hormuz is open.