KUNA: Held Virtual Talks with International Partners in Maritime Shipping Sector on the Situation in Hormuz

Washington, Oct 8 (KUNA) -- U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Thursday that it held virtual consultations with international partners in the maritime shipping sector regarding the latest developments in the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, CENTCOM said it briefed its international shipping partners on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz during a discussion conducted via video conferencing. The statement added that military leaders emphasized during the consultations the importance of sustaining momentum to support freedom of navigation amid growing commercial shipping traffic. For his part, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper expressed gratitude to sector leaders and other U.S. government agencies for their continued support, praising the sacrifices made by civilian ship crews as a result of unjustified Iranian attacks. Meanwhile, CENTCOM announced in a separate statement that it had successfully facilitated the shipment of more than 1.25 billion barrels of crude oil from Gulf region partners through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months. The statement affirmed that, in contrast, Iran has not exported any oil shipments due to the strict U.S. sanctions imposed on Iranian ports. (End) A.M.M. / M.A.A.