U.S. Military Says Hormuz Open After Iran Declares Strait Closed

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Thursday publicly reaffirmed that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial shipping after an Iran-linked organization claiming authority over the strategic waterway declared it closed “until further notice.”

“The Strait of Hormuz remains open for transit,” CENTCOM said in a social media post accompanied by an infographic stating that safe transit pathways remain available for commercial vessels and that “hundreds of ships” have successfully passed through the waterway in recent weeks.

The statement came in direct response to a notice issued by the so-called Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), which announced that the strait would be closed and instructed vessels that had received transit permits to await further guidance.

“In light of the tensions created by the invading American forces in the region and the announcement by Iran’s armed forces last night, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice,” the notice stated.

The competing claims come just two days after International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez warned that no safe passage currently exists in the Strait of Hormuz despite signs that vessel traffic has begun to recover.

“The current situation remains highly volatile, with no reliable security assurances in place. Under such circumstances, safe passage cannot be considered to exist,” Dominguez said Tuesday, cautioning shipowners against exposing seafarers to continued risks in the region.

The dueling announcements underscore the growing dispute over both physical access to the waterway and who has the authority to regulate commercial shipping through one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints.

The Trump administration has repeatedly rejected Iranian claims of authority over the strait. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump asserted that “the United States of America controls the Strait of Hormuz — not Iran” while revealing that U.S. forces had conducted a previously undisclosed operation that helped more than 200 commercial vessels transit the waterway and move more than 100 million barrels of oil to global markets.

The latest exchange also comes as the issue of Hormuz transit rights has reportedly become a key topic in ongoing indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran appears to be seeking recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz as part of a broader peace agreement, while the United States continues to insist on unrestricted commercial navigation through the waterway.

The PGSA emerged earlier this year as hostilities between the United States and Iran intensified. The organization claims to manage vessel transits through the strait and has sought to require commercial ships to obtain authorization and follow routing instructions coordinated with Iranian authorities.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the organization in May, alleging it was working with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to impose a permission-based transit regime and collect fees from commercial vessels. Treasury warned that companies cooperating with the organization could face sanctions exposure.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Thursday that any fees paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority would ultimately be recovered from Iranian assets. “Any tolls paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority will be offset by funds extracted from their accounts,” Bessent wrote on social media. He also warned that any damage inflicted on Gulf allies would be repaid through Iranian funds and that further attacks would deepen the economic consequences facing Tehran.

The remarks suggest the Trump administration is moving beyond sanctions alone and may seek to financially compensate shipping losses, transit fees, or regional damages through frozen Iranian assets, adding a new economic dimension to the growing contest over control of the strategic waterway.

Shipping companies operating in the region have increasingly found themselves caught between competing claims of authority. While U.S. military officials maintain that commercial vessels can safely transit through designated security corridors, Iranian authorities and affiliated organizations have continued to assert jurisdiction over shipping movements through the narrow waterway.

Adding to the uncertainty, the latest Joint Maritime Information Center assessment continues to classify the maritime security environment across the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz as “CRITICAL,” warning that navigation remains extremely hazardous despite a gradual increase in vessel movements.

According to figures cited by U.S. officials earlier this month, nearly 1,000 commercial vessels have transited in and out of the Strait of Hormuz since the April 8 ceasefire. However, traffic remains well below pre-war levels, and many operators continue to transit with AIS transmissions limited or disabled due to security concerns.

The Strait of Hormuz normally handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG trade, making the dispute over transit rights, security guarantees and operational control one of the most consequential maritime issues arising from the conflict.

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