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Washington DC [US]/ Tehran [Iran] : The US Central Command said that two of its ships have begun setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and the claim was denied immediately by Iran, Al Jazeera reported.
CENTCOM said that USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) transited the Strait of Hormuz and operated in the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mission to ensure the strait is fully clear of sea mines previously laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, as quoted by the statement.
On Saturday, a spokesperson for the Iranian military’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters swiftly denied the US statement, as reported by Al Jazeera.
“The claim by the CENTCOM commander regarding the approach and entry of American vessels into the Strait of Hormuz is strongly denied,” Al Jazeera quoted the spokesperson as saying. “The initiative for the passage and movement of any vessel is in the hands of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The IRGC, in turn, vowed “a strong response” to any military ships passing through the strait, as per Al Jazeera.
The passage through the strait serves as a bone of contention between the two warring nations, as Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, with just a few ships squeezing through daily.
“The Strait of Hormuz is an international sea passage and an essential trade corridor that supports regional and global economic prosperity. Additional U.S. forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days,” the CENTCOM statement added.
The statements came as the US-Iran talks were underway. However, the talks did not yield much.
After hours of negotiations in Pakistan between US and Iran, talks have reached a stalemate on Sunday as US Vice President JD Vance said that no agreement has been reached in talks with Iran. He said that while they would be returning to the US, the development is a “bad news for Iran” than it is for the United States.
Addressing reporters from Islamabad, Vance said that during the negotiations that took place for 21 hours, several substantial discussions were held however, no conclusions were reached.
“We’ve had a number of substance agreements with the Iranians- that is the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. That is bad news for Iran, much more than it is bad news for the United States of America.” (ANI)
