US military rejects Iranian claim of psychological pressure on sailors

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday rejected an Iranian official’s claim that the American military was using threatening language against Iranian sailors. It also defended its blockade against Iran and accused Tehran of attacking civilian mariners in regional waters. In a statement posted on US social media company X, CENTCOM described the claim by Iran’s ambassador to the International Maritime Organization that US forces were causing “serious stress and psychological pressure” on civilian crews as false. Iran filed a formal protest last week with the International Maritime Organization, saying US military forces are misusing an emergency channel, turning it into “an instrument of military intimidation and psychological pressure against civilian crews.” CENTCOM said the US blockade against Iran has been in place for months and was communicated professionally. It also accused Iran of being the “only country attacking civilian mariners transiting regional waters,” while saying commercial traffic “continues to flow through the Strait of Hormuz with coordinated protection from U.S. forces and regional partners.” The statement did not provide details about the specific allegations or incidents cited in the dispute. The statement comes as Iran and the US remain at odds about navigation through the strategic strait amid heightened maritime tensions.