(SANTCOM): Iran has not exported any oil from its coasts since the resumption of the naval blockade in mid-July last year

Washington, August 28 (KUNA) -- U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Brad Cooper confirmed on Friday that U.S. forces have not allowed Iran to export any oil from its coast since the resumption of the naval blockade on Iranian ports in mid-July last year.

In an operational update posted on CENTCOM’s X (formerly Twitter) account, Cooper stated that the naval blockade on Iran remains “active and strong” and is achieving its objectives. He emphasized that no vessel has entered or departed an Iranian port without U.S. military authorization, with passage restricted solely to humanitarian cases.

Cooper added that U.S. forces diverted 75 ships that attempted to breach the blockade and disabled three vessels to ensure full compliance.

Conversely, Cooper noted that the U.S. military assisted approximately 1,500 ships in transiting the Strait of Hormuz, carrying nearly 750 million barrels of oil, describing this as a “major success” in securing global energy supplies.

He pointed out that 20 warships and hundreds of aircraft participated in the mission to enforce the blockade on Iran, clarifying that 50,000 U.S. troops deployed in the region were involved in implementing the blockade on Iran and ensuring the free flow of commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The CENTCOM commander affirmed that the U.S. military succeeded in clearing international passages in the strait of naval mines laid by Iran months earlier, noting that the operation took three months under conditions he described as “difficult and dangerous.”

He explained that the mine-clearance mission involved U.S. Navy divers, U.S. Marine Corps personnel, and specialized explosive ordnance disposal units, confirming that the international passages in the Strait of Hormuz are “currently open” for international trade. (End) A.M.M. / M.A.H.A.