[Salon] US Forces No Longer Allowed Into Strait of Hormuz – Iranian Army Commander." (Sputnik. 8/16/26)

[Chas Freeman <cwfresidence@gmail.com>]

https://sputnikglobe.com/20260816/us-forces-no-longer-allowed-into-strait-of-hormuz--iranian-army-commander-1124587680.html

8/16/26

US Forces No Longer Allowed Into Strait of Hormuz – Iranian Army Commander

“US forces have been expelled and are no longer permitted to enter the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, or the Strait of Hormuz. Everyone should understand that American bases will never be able to return to their previous state, and Iran will never allow that to happen,” Hatami said as cited by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.

He also stressed that the Strait of Hormuz represents a geopolitical opportunity for Iran and that the situation in the waterway will never return to what it was before.

“This leverage [the Strait of Hormuz] is one of the necessary conditions for ending the war with the United States,” Hatami added.

Earlier, Saudi broadcaster Al-Hadath reported that Iran and Oman had reached an agreement on the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, pending approval by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. According to the channel, the agreement is expected to be officially announced in the coming days.

In recent weeks, Washington and Tehran, with the involvement of Middle Eastern mediators, have been trying to agree on the terms of a new deal to end the conflict. On August 9, US President Donald Trump said Washington was conducting negotiations with Tehran only “half-heartedly,” while claiming that Iran’s economic situation was deteriorating.