On Oct. 26 Iran’s chief of general staff Abdolrahim inspected forces in the southern coastal region and said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy and army fully control the Strait of Hormuz and tightly monitor all vessel movements. He said, in contrast to U.S. assertions of freedom of navigation, the strategic waterway is effectively closed and is controlled and supervised by the IRGC navy, and vessels not cleared by Iran cannot transit. He added Iran’s armed forces remain on high a

On Oct. 26 Iran’s chief of general staff Abdolrahim inspected forces in the southern coastal region and said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy and army fully control the Strait of Hormuz and tightly monitor all vessel movements. He said, in contrast to U.S. assertions of freedom of navigation, the strategic waterway is effectively closed and is controlled and supervised by the IRGC navy, and vessels not cleared by Iran cannot transit. He added Iran’s armed forces remain on high alert, monitoring hostile activity in the area and blocking any unauthorized vessels.