Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz have intensified further after Iran's Armed Forces Senior Spokesperson declared that American fighter jets have not left the waterway for a single day since the ceasefire was announced. The spokesperson insisted on a full US withdrawal from the region, stated Iran will never back down from its position on the strait, and warned that Iran is prepared to fight the enemy for years, according to Fars News. The statement sharply escalates an already volatile standoff between Washington and Tehran over one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints.
Iran's Defiant Posture
Iran's Armed Forces Senior Spokesperson's latest remarks build on an earlier declaration that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen due to ongoing US aggressions and the state of war. The spokesperson's insistence on US military withdrawal and the assertion that Iran can sustain the conflict for years signals a hardening of Tehran's position. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps had previously declared the strait closed to all vessels, while the latest statement underscores that the continued presence of US fighter jets is being cited by Iran as justification for its uncompromising stance.
US Stance: Peace Conditional on Iranian Compliance
US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker stated that the Trump administration remains open to securing a deal with Iran to end more than four and a half months of hostilities, describing President Trump as a "peacemaker." However, Whitaker emphasized that any interim peace agreement is "performance-based," warning that if Iran attacks shipping or acts belligerently, the US will respond with overwhelming force. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz echoed these sentiments, stating that "all options are on the table" and accusing Iran of failing to uphold a preliminary agreement reached in June. President Trump confirmed that US forces conducted strikes against Iranian targets overnight, while asserting that the strait remains open.
Strait of Hormuz: Competing Claims Deepen Market Uncertainty
The two sides present starkly conflicting accounts of conditions in the strait. While US Central Command maintains that traffic is flowing and the waterway remains open to lawful transit, Iran's military insists on closure and points to the uninterrupted presence of US fighter jets as evidence of continued aggression. The strait is a critical energy chokepoint through which approximately 20 million barrels of oil pass daily, and prior to the conflict, about a fifth of all globally traded oil and natural gas transited through it.
Oil Market Impact
The deepening uncertainty surrounding safe passage through the strait has had a measurable impact on oil markets. ING commodity strategist Warren Patterson noted that vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz remain well below pre-war levels, adding that Iran's declarations are likely to sustain pressure on energy prices and maritime risk assessments. The following table summarizes the latest market data:
| Benchmark |
Price |
Volume |
Open Interest |
| WTI |
$73 |
$113 million |
$222 million |
| Brent |
$78 |
$63 million |
- |