A Pentagon spokesperson has denied the information, stating that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for six months “is impossible and totally unacceptable.”
The Pentagon estimated that the clearing of mines in the Strait of Hormuz would take up to six months, disrupting the oil market, during a classified presentation to the US Congress, as reported on Wednesday, April 22 by the Washington Post, but denied by the US Department.
The newspaper quoted three anonymous officials stating that “lawmakers were informed that Iran could have planted 20 mines or more in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas.” According to a Defense official’s presentation, “some were put in the water remotely using GPS technology, making their detection more difficult. Others were reportedly placed by Iranian forces using small boats.”
A Pentagon spokesperson denied the information to AFP, condemning “leaks – much of which is false – from a classified and closed briefing that he believes stems from dishonest journalism.”
According to Sean Parnell, “the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for six months is impossible and totally unacceptable.”
The issue of mining in the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil transportation normally passes, lacks reliable information. The Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army, warned mid-April of a “dangerous zone” of 1,400 km2 – equivalent to 14 times the size of Paris – where mines could be located.
Last week, Donald Trump claimed that Tehran, “with the assistance of the United States, had removed, or was in the process of removing, all sea mines.” However, this information was not confirmed by the Islamic Republic.
Shipowners remain cautious, even in the event of an official reopening of the strait by Tehran and Washington. They need details on the routes to take and fear these mines, as warned by Nils Haupt, spokesperson for the German maritime transport giant Hapag-Lloyd last Friday.
Several “non-belligerent” countries have expressed readiness for “a neutral mission” to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
The precious strait is now at the heart of the conflict that began on February 28 with Israeli-American strikes on Iran, before the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took effect on April 8. According to Tehran, ships must obtain permission to enter or leave the Gulf via Hormuz, while the United States have blocked access to Iranian ports since April 13.
