An Iranian minister claimed they are not laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz as the US alleges, even though the US military previously released footage showing the destruction of Iranian mine-laying vessels.
On 12 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, denied allegations that Iran is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, just days after the US said it attacked several vessels equipped for mine deployment operating near that shipping route.
Takht-Ravanchi told AFP, “Some countries have discussed passage through this strait with us, and we have cooperated with them.”
However, he added that countries "participating in aggression" against Iran "should not benefit from safe passage," emphasizing that the Iranian government seeks assurance that war will not be "imposed" on his country again.
Takht-Ravanchi continued, “When the war began last June, a ceasefire was declared after 12 days... but after 8 or 9 months, they regrouped and repeated their actions.”
Previously, the US military released video footage showing moments when they destroyed dozens of Iranian warships and mine-laying boats in the Strait of Hormuz, following reports that Iran had begun laying mines in this vital global oil shipping route.
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Source:cnn