Iran Accuses U.S. of ‘Even Bigger Miscalculation’ on Strait of Hormuz as Trump Claims ‘Total Control’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has dismissed President Donald Trump’s claim that the U.S. has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, accusing American forces of making an “even bigger miscalculation” in the strategic waterway. Araghchi’s remarks come as tensions remain high over the critical shipping route, through which approximately 20% of global oil trade passes. “The U.S. has long miscalculated Iran’s strength in the war,” Araghchi said, adding that American forces are now making an even more dangerous miscalculation regarding the strait. His comments underscore the deepening divide between the two nations, even as the U.S. continues to tout the success of its naval blockade, which has redirected 59 ships away from Iranian ports as of Aug. 12.

Despite the icy relations, oil prices eased slightly overnight, with Brent crude falling 1.6% from Wednesday morning. According to shipping data, only eight vessels passed through the strait on Tuesday, a sharp decline from the average of 130 ships that transited the waterway before the war began on Feb. 28. Meanwhile, the U.S. has pushed back on reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed to the Middle East for more than 260 days. CENTCOM denied claims of a crew brawl or a spike in suicidal ideation, calling the reports “false” and emphasizing the carrier’s 84.4% reenlistment rate. “The rampant misreporting on Abraham Lincoln’s historic deployment is a disservice to our men and women in uniform,” CENTCOM said. As both sides remain entrenched, the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint in the broader U.S.-Iran conflict.