Tehran refutes CENTCOM’s claims of Hormuz passage
‘US destroyers only a few minutes away from complete destruction’
Spokesman of the Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters Ebrahim Zolqadr refuted CENTCOM's claims that American vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that permission of passage of any vessel through the strait lies in the hands of the Iranian Armed Forces. Iran shut the strait down to adversaries and their allies after the United States and the Israeli regime launched their latest wave of unprovoked aggression towards the Islamic Republic. Each year, the waterway hosts 20 percent of the world's liquefied natural gas (LNG) transit and 25 percent of seaborne oil trade.
Closing it sent shockwaves throughout global energy markets, including in the United States, where gas prices skyrocketed and prompted nationwide resentment at the ruling administration. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s Navy on Saturday warned military vessels of a "firm response" to their potential attempts at passing through the Strait of Hormuz. "Permission to transit, in accordance with specific regulations, is granted exclusively to non-military vessels," it noted.
The Navy categorically rejected reports claiming passage of American vessels through the strait, and reiterated that any such attempt would be met with "a decisive and forceful response."
An investigation by Press TV has found that the US military’s attempt to sail two destroyers through the strait ended as a failed propaganda stunt timed to coincide with talks in Islamabad.
The investigation, based on information provided by highly placed military-security sources, revealed that the US Navy destroyers came within minutes of complete destruction after attempting a high-risk passage through the strait in a failed propaganda operation aimed at influencing Iran-US talks in the Pakistani capital.
The destroyers attempted to transit the strategic waterway but were intercepted and forced to retreat by Iranian naval forces. The destroyers were only a few minutes away from complete destruction after Iranian cruise missiles locked onto the vessel and attack drones were deployed. They had attempted to use electronic warfare tactics, including turning off its position reporting system, in a bid to deceive the IRGC naval forces.