ERBIL () - US Central Command rejected Iran's claim of full control over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, September 28, 2026, stating that thousands of ships are transiting the waterway freely without any obstruction, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi simultaneously held a meeting with mediators in New York to exchange the latest proposals and messages between Tehran and Washington, without direct American participation.
"Iran has no navy, because US forces have already destroyed it,"CENTCOM said in a statement posted on its official X account, directly responding to claims by a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander that Tehran fully controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval forces.
CENTCOM offered three specific data points as evidence of Iranian non-control over the strait. Thousands of ships are transiting freely without obstruction. Over one billion barrels of oil have been transported through the waterway in just the past few months. And Iran's claim of full control is simply far from reality, CENTCOM stated.
Araghchi Meets Mediators Without Direct US Presence
Iranian state news agency ISNA reported that Araghchi held a meeting on Monday with the mediating parties between Tehran and Washington, without direct American representatives present, to exchange the latest proposals and messages. The meeting is designed to follow up on Iran's seven-point proposal, which Araghchi disclosed upon arriving in New York, under which Tehran is ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as part of a deal to end the war and lift the naval blockade in exchange for the release of all frozen Iranian assets and funds.
Despite President Trump's public rejection of the Iranian proposal over the weekend, ISNA noted that the exchange of messages and mediator efforts to bring both sides back to the negotiating table and resolve the naval blockade question are continuing with intensity.
Araghchi had previously stated: "We saw the first response from the American president, but we have not yet formally received any response through the mediators."He added: "We are waiting for the final response through the intermediaries and will make our decision based on it. In any case, our conditions are clear and any step forward toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is tied to the implementation of these conditions and we will not back down from them in any way."
Iran's Parliament Passes Hormuz Control Legislation
Separately, Hassan Qashqawi, spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iran's parliament, announced that the committee has completed its review of a draft law titled the Strategic Arrangement for Providing and Guaranteeing Sustainable Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, with Article 16 of the draft approved at Monday's session.
Qashqawi explained that Article 16, as approved, stipulates that from the moment the law enters into force, the governing system in the Strait of Hormuz area must comply only with the provisions of this law. All previous provisions, laws, and regulations that conflict with this law regarding the Strait of Hormuz will be repealed, and the new law will become the legal basis for the governing system within the strait's boundaries.
The approved article also means the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has completed its final review of the draft. Previously the committee had imposed penalties on ships that do not comply with specified navigation guidelines through the strait, including temporary seizure of the vessel and confiscation of 20 percent of the cargo or vessel value. The draft also calls for the establishment of a specialized judicial panel to investigate such cases, with judges and experts in maritime law and international law of the sea.
According to Mehr News Agency, the draft laws presented to parliament, after approval in relevant committees, go to a plenary session for approval by a majority of parliamentarians. To gain legal validity and enter into force, they must also obtain the approval of the Guardian Council.
