CENTCOM claims downing Iranian drone missiles towards commercial ships transiting Strait of Hormuz
Florida, June 13
The United States Central Command said in the early hours of Saturday that it neutralised all the attempts made by Iran to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on X, CENTCOM said that the critical trade chokepoint remains open for transit.
"Iran launched multiple one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces have downed all of them in recent hours as traffic flow through the strait continues unimpeded. The international trade corridor remains open for transit."
Amid a rapidly evolving situation in West Asia and the Gulf region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday, according to Iran's state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) that the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran will address a range of issues, including Tehran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and the status of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to IRIB, Araghchi said the agreement consists of two stages and that the nuclear issue was not discussed in the first stage and was deferred to the second phase.
He added that if the provisions of the memorandum of understanding are not met, the final agreement will not be signed.
"The first thing mentioned in the agreement is that the US naval blockade be lifted," Araghchi said.
"According to international law, not possible to collect tolls from the Strait of Hormuz, but service fees will be collected. Paying compensation to Iran is in plan," IRIB quoted the Iranian Foreign Minister as saying.
Araghchi further stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains under the sovereignty of Iran and Oman, adding that "the future of the Strait of Hormuz will not be like the past", and indicated that Iran and Oman would soon issue a joint statement on its management.
— ANI
Reader Comments
India has always maintained a balanced relationship with both Iran and the US. This situation puts us in a tricky spot. While we need the strait open for trade, we also support Iran's right to manage its waters under international law. Hope diplomacy prevails before things get out of hand. 🙏
Americans always want to play policeman in the Gulf. Did they forget they threw the region into chaos after the Iraq invasion? Iran's stance on the strait has legal merits. Instead of shooting down drones, why not negotiate a proper maritime security framework involving all stakeholders including India?
As an American, I'm glad CENTCOM protected freedom of navigation. The strait is an international waterway, not Iran's private toll road. Their talk of "compensation" is just extortion. India should be more vocal in condemning these threats to global trade.
I'm curious about the Iran-Oman joint statement they mentioned. Oman has historically been a neutral mediator. If they work together, maybe they can create a system that respects Iran's security concerns while keeping the strait open. India should offer to mediate too—we have good ties with both Iran and GCC countries. 🌏
Iran says the US naval blockade was part of the MoU... So they're admitting to blockading the strait? That's important context CENTCOM left out. Both sides are playing games. Meanwhile, Indian sailors on commercial ships are the ones at risk. Our government must ensure their safety first and foremost.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.