The White House has refuted claims made by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on social media that US naval forces protected an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Wright’s statement, which was deleted shortly after its posting, claimed that the US Navy escorted an oil tanker safely through the strait. However, a recent survey has shown that a significant number of Americans are opposed to the military operation. In a press briefing, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt clarified that the US Navy has not provided any military escort to any tankers or vessels so far. According to her, US President Donald Trump may take such a step if necessary, but no such operation has been carried out yet.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has termed the US statement as a “fake news” and said that the purpose of the statement was to influence the global oil market. It is worth noting that the Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway between Iran, Oman, and the UAE, through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes. The US and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran on February 28, severely affecting trade activities in the region.
The US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, General Dan Cian, has also confirmed that the military has not been assigned any official mission to protect tankers. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been referred to as a “wounded hero” of the Ramadan war by the Iranian state television. Home Secretary Shabanah Mahmood has announced a ban on the “Al-Quds March” scheduled for Sunday, saying that the purpose of the ban is to prevent any potential violence during the march.
The Iranian government has announced that it has launched 37 waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region. According to Arab media, these attacks included 783 missile strikes and 2,350 drone attacks. The Iranian government has also said that it has no intention of getting involved in any conflict with other countries in the region.
In a separate development, US President Donald Trump has said that he will end the war with Iran when he wants to, and that the US-Iran conflict is going “very well.” The White House has not yet provided any clear explanation for the conflicting statements made by Trump and his officials.
