News / Spotlight

U.S. lying about Hormuz control

Thursday, 13 August 2026 9:01 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 13 August 2026 9:53 PM ]

In this Spotlight, we examine the growing contradiction between Washington's claims and the reality on the ground in the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump claims that the United States has “total control” over the strategic waterway, whereas Iranian officials reject the claim as an utter lie and warn Washington against making another miscalculation.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has pointed to what he calls repeated US intelligence failures, warning that “worse than fake news is fake intelligence.” A senior aide to Iran’s leader, Mohammad Mokhber, has also warned that if Iran's conditions are not met, the armed forces will shift to the offensive mode, which would upend the global power dynamics.

With traffic through Hormuz dramatically reduced and the Bab al-Mandab facing its own disruptions, the consequences are no longer confined to West Asia. Energy markets, shipping, food supplies and the wider global economy are all being affected and that is to say the least.

So what does control of Hormuz actually mean? Is Washington really capable of determining who passes through the Strait, or has Iran not demonstrated its authority over the vital energy choke point? That's what we'll be discussing with our guests.

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