The Revolutionary Guard Claims Absence of American Ships in the Strait of Hormuz

Amid the repeated assertions by the United States that it controls the Strait of Hormuz, the Revolutionary Guard claimed that U.S. forces have withdrawn 1,000 kilometers from Iran, and that American ships are absent from Hormuz, the Sea of Oman, and the northern Indian Ocean.

The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ali Fadavi, stated that U.S. forces have withdrawn more than 1,000 kilometers from the Iranian border.

He also added in a statement to state television today, "The Americans have fled and withdrawn more than 1,000 kilometers from our borders; this was not a choice for them, but a result of the strength of the Revolutionary Guard's ground forces."

Additionally, he claimed that American ships have been absent for the first time from the waters of the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman, and the northern Indian Ocean.

He confirmed that the strait has been under Iranian control for several months.

Fadawi also considered that the United States has failed to achieve any of the goals it set during the war. He claimed that Tehran, in cooperation with Muscat, has established and is currently implementing navigation rules in the Strait of Hormuz, despite Washington's attempts to influence the situation in the region.

Additionally, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard pointed out that ship captains are forced to use the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz due to insurance obligations and financial commitments; however, he warned that ships taking this route may "face actions" from the Iranian armed forces at any moment.

These statements came as oil exports from the Middle East, excluding Iran, surpassed pre-war levels last week, despite attacks targeting tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, according to data released by Kepler, a company specializing in tracking maritime traffic.

For the first time since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East with the United States and Israel launching their attack on Iran in late February, the average weekly flows of non-Iranian crude oil coming from the Gulf countries and Iraq through Hormuz rose for several consecutive days last week, exceeding the pre-war rate of 18 million barrels per day.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, Iran has claimed that it controls the strait, while Washington has imposed and continues to maintain a tight maritime blockade on Iranian ports.

As non-Iranian oil tankers increasingly cross the strait to exit the Gulf under American protection.