Iranian Army Commander: US has no right to enter the Persian Gulf

The United States has no right of passage through the Strait of Hormuz, nor in the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman, said Iranian Army Commander General Amir Hatami on Sunday (16/8).

“US forces have been expelled and are no longer permitted to enter the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, or the Strait of Hormuz,” Hatami said in a statement quoted by Iran’s national broadcaster, IRIB.

“All parties must understand that US bases will never return to their previous status, and Iran will never allow this,” Hatami said.

He also stressed that the Strait of Hormuz represents a geopolitical opportunity for Iran, and the situation in the waterway—one of the world’s most vital oil trade arteries—will never return to its previous state.

“This bargaining power [the Strait of Hormuz] is one of the important conditions for ending the war [with the US],” Hatami added.

Earlier, Saudi news broadcaster Al-Hadath reported that Iran and Oman had reached an agreement to fully open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, which is now awaiting approval from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

According to the channel, the agreement will be officially announced in the coming days.

In recent weeks, Washington and Tehran—with the help of mediators from the Middle East—have been working to agree on the terms of a new deal to end the conflict.

US President Donald Trump said on 9 August that Washington was negotiating with Tehran in a half-hearted manner, while Iran’s economic situation was reported to be deteriorating.