Two US Navy destroyers crossed the Strait of Hormuz for an operation to clear Iranian mines in the strategic passage, the US Central Command (Centcom) said on Saturday.
Earlier, President Donald Trump said that Washington had begun to “unblock” this vital route for global hydrocarbon trade.
This operation comes as Iran and the United States begin peace negotiations in Islamabad.
“Today we began the process of establishing a new passage and will soon share this safe route with the maritime industry to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Cetcom Commander Brad Cooper.
The missile destroyers USS Frank E. Peterson and USS Michael Murphy are participating in the operation. Centcom noted that “additional US forces, including underwater drones,” will join in the coming days.
Iran “strongly rejected” Washington’s claims that American vessels crossed the strait.
“The initiative for the passage of any ship lies with the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” army spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaqari told Iranian state television.
Trump claimed that the United States had begun “the process of unblocking the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to countries around the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and many others,” the Republican wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Unbelievably, they do not have the courage or the will to do the work themselves,” he added.
Iran blocked the passage of the vast majority of ships through the Strait of Hormuz in response to the attacks by the United States and Israel on February 28, and in theory the reopening of this route was one of the conditions of the ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran announced on Tuesday.
Trump also criticized the media that claims that Iran is winning the war against the United States, “when in reality everyone knows that they are LOSING, and LOSING BIG.”
“The only thing they have going for them is the threat that a ship could ‘collide’ with one of their sea mines” in the Strait of Hormuz, the president said.
Trump also said that the entire Iranian mineboat fleet, consisting of 28 ships, “lies at the bottom of the sea” from US attacks. (YO)
