The United States has declared that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all vessels engaged in lawful passage, insisting that Iran has no authority over the strategic international waterway despite what Washington described as continued threats and harassment by Tehran.

In a statement issued on Sunday by US Central Command, the US military said freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains intact, adding that American forces are deployed and ready to ensure the uninterrupted movement of commercial vessels.

“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway,” the statement read.

It added, “US forces are positioned and prepared to ensure that freedom of navigation remains available despite unwarranted Iranian aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations. Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing.”

According to the US, pathways for free transit through the Strait of Hormuz remain open, stressing that the waterway is an international maritime route used by commercial vessels transporting goods and energy across the world.

The US military disclosed that its forces have facilitated the safe passage of more than 800 ships and over 400million barrels of crude oil through the strait over the past two months.

It also revealed that more than 140 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz within the last seven days.

The statement comes amid persistent tensions between the United States and Iran over security in the Gulf region.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption passes through the narrow waterway, making any disruption a major concern for global energy markets and international trade.

The latest assurance from the U.S. follows repeated warnings from Iran in recent years that it could restrict or disrupt shipping through the strait during periods of heightened regional conflict.

The United States and its allies have consistently maintained that the waterway is governed by international law and that freedom of navigation must be protected.