Hormuz controlled by US and allies, not Iran: Centcom chief

The Strait of Hormuz "is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran", the head of US Central Command (Centcom) has said. In a video statement, Centcom commander Brad Cooper said the US blockade of Iranian ports had imposed "a devastating cost" on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He said it had completely halted Iran's maritime exports and imports, "with the exception of humanitarian assistance we have allowed in". Cooper said the US had "prevented Iran from exporting at least 25 billion dollars worth of crude oil" and had "significantly degraded Iran's ability to project power far beyond its borders". He added that US forces had helped Gulf allies ship more than 100 million barrels of crude through the strait in the past week, with around 400 merchant vessels passing through. In total, the US had helped regional partners move 1.3 billion barrels through Hormuz in recent months, he said.