The U.S. military has claimed that there are no longer any Iranian naval mines in the key trade routes of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has been attempting to blockade.

In a statement on the 25th (local time), the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the Middle East, announced that CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper made the declaration while inspecting U.S. troop deployments in the Strait of Hormuz aboard a Chinook helicopter that day.

"Thanks to the incredible efforts of our service members, the key shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz are currently safe and clear of Iranian mines," Commander Cooper said.

Cooper added, "We will maintain a high-intensity focus on ensuring that commercial shipping continues, working closely with U.S. government agencies, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and partners in the maritime industry."

Cooper's remarks come as the United States and other nations suffer from high oil prices due to disruptions in crude oil supplies caused by Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

In particular, ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, which could change the majority party in the House and Senate, high oil prices are emerging as a negative factor hurting voter sentiment toward the ruling Republican Party.

Despite the U.S. military's declaration that all mines have been cleared from the key trade routes in the strait, concerns within the maritime industry have not easily subsided.

Amid continued threats to commercial vessels by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reports emerged that two oil tankers came into contact with mines and sustained damage on the 23rd.

CENTCOM emphasized again on this day that the Strait of Hormuz is stabilizing.

CENTCOM stated that over the past six months, it has helped more than 3,000 commercial vessels successfully transit the Strait of Hormuz and enabled the transport of over 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil.

Following U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, Iran moved to blockade the Strait of Hormuz—through which about 20% of the world's seaborne crude oil passes—and has remained in a standoff with the United States.

"Despite unwarranted attacks by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, more than 95% of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz have navigated safely," the U.S. military asserted, adding, "This clearly demonstrates that the U.S. and regional partners are in control of international waterways."

(Photo provided by U.S. Central Command, Yonhap News)