Iran Rejects CENTCOM Claim: Calls Assertion That U.S. Escorted 1 Billion Barrels of Oil Through Hormuz a “Failed Psychological Operation”

Iran has sharply rejected the U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) claim that American forces escorted more than 1 billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months. In comments aired by the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars, senior Iranian armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi called the American claim a “failed psychological operation” aimed at boosting the morale of U.S. forces and justifying the “extremely high financial and human costs” of the war with Iran.

The CENTCOM claim, made public earlier in the day, says U.S. forces moved more than 1 billion barrels of oil through the strategic strait over two months, protected more than 2,000 commercial transits, and cleared the main shipping lanes of naval mines. The U.S. command also asserted that the volume of oil, goods, and gas passing through Hormuz is at its highest level in six months.

Iran’s rebuttal comes as both sides compete over the narrative about the real state of the world’s most important energy chokepoint. Iran has insisted that the U.S. naval blockade and attacks on ships have paralyzed traffic, while Washington claims it is guaranteeing freedom of navigation. Just days ago, Iran passed a law placing the passage of data and telecommunications cables through Hormuz under Tehran’s regulations — another sign of its push to exert control over the strait.

The verbal clash over oil figures reflects the deep disagreement between the sides even over the basic facts of the conflict, at a time when mediators from Qatar and Pakistan are trying to keep diplomatic channels alive to end the war now entering its seventh month.

Burimi: Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/9/19/iran-war-live-trump-extends-sanctions-on-iran-houthi-supporters-in-sanaa