Tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz after Iran claimed its forces struck an unmanned US military vessel attempting to enter a restricted area near the waterway. The US military denied the claim, with US Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins calling it a “total lie”.
The claim came a day after Washington said it had struck three Iranian oil tankers following Iranian ballistic-missile attacks targeting US Navy warships. The latest developments have further escalated hostilities between the two countries, which resumed fighting after a period of relative calm.
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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei accused Washington of creating the crisis, saying the Strait of Hormuz had remained open until February 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran. He argued that Washington was attempting to shift responsibility for disrupted shipping and rising energy prices onto Tehran.
“In Washington’s narrative, a war started by the United States must somehow be recast as the cost of Iran’s behavior to the world. America started the war but expects the whole world to pay the bill, while portraying Iran as the one that caused this chaos,” he added.
The Strait of #Hormuz was wide open until 28 February, when the #USrael attacked Iran. Washington unleashed an unlawful and savage war on the region and disrupted the normal flow of commercial shipping; tankers are halted, trade is disrupted, and energy prices are rising.
The US… pic.twitter.com/ll5oHCQoEv
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) September 6, 2026
Iran’s new Supreme National Security Council chief, Mohsen Rezaei, said Tehran plans to establish an “exclusion zone” extending from the US naval blockade towards the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf also warned that the era of “proportionate responses” was over, saying future retaliation would be faster and heavier.
The US has deployed more than 20 warships to support a blockade aimed at restricting Iranian oil exports. Washington said the operation had redirected 92 commercial vessels and disabled three. Despite the tensions, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said around nine million barrels of oil a day continue to pass through the strait, as per AP News.
The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, carrying a substantial share of global oil and gas supplies. Further disruption could therefore have significant consequences for international energy markets and shipping.
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Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts remain stalled. Iran is seeking stronger guarantees from mediators including Pakistan, Qatar and Oman, while the US, Britain, France and Germany are considering referring Tehran to the UN Security Council over alleged violations of nuclear non-proliferation obligations.