US dismisses Iran's Hormuz closure claim as oil flows continue

Washington rejected Iranian assertions that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed to traffic, with US Central Command confirming that approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil are transiting the chokepoint daily alongside regular commercial shipping. The statement represents a direct challenge to Tehran's threat that certain transit routes through the waterway could face closure, a prospect that carries significant implications for global energy markets given the strait's critical role in international oil supply chains. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most strategically important maritime passages, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Approximately one-third of the world's seaborne traded crude oil moves through the narrow channel, making any disruption a matter of concern for energy-dependent economies across Asia and beyond. Tensions in the region have periodically prompted Iranian officials to threaten restrictions on shipping through the strait, though such claims have consistently been met with skepticism from Western military and energy officials who maintain that commercial traffic remains unimpeded.