Iran's armed forces have identified the presence of United States military personnel as the primary driver of instability in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider West Asia region.
The spokesperson for Iran's military told state broadcaster IRIB that American forces are the sole cause of the current security vacuum, a statement that intensifies the diplomatic standoff between Tehran and Washington.
Despite recent reports of oil flows surging to 10 million barrels a day as some shipping routes resumed, the underlying geopolitical tension remains unresolved.
The remarks come as global markets continue to price in elevated shipping risk in the critical energy chokepoint.
Despite recent reports of oil flows surging to 10 million barrels a day as some shipping routes resumed, the underlying geopolitical tension remains unresolved.
Investors are monitoring whether this rhetorical escalation will translate into renewed physical threats to tanker traffic or further disruptions to energy flows.
This development follows a period of heightened military activity, including exchanges of fire between Iranian and US forces in the strait earlier in June.