🔶 Gharibabadi: The Strait of Hormuz is under Iran’s command, not CENTCOM Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Legal and International Affairs Minister, with emphasis on “the Islamic Republic’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz,” said that security for this strategic waterway “will not be ensured through military meetings under U.S. leadership.” Gharibabadi wrote in a message on the X social network: “The Strait of Hormuz is defined as being under Iran’s command, not CENTCOM.” He also emphasized that the military meeting held in Bahrain cannot create legal and security order for the Persian Gulf. Referring to the U.S. presence in the region, Gharibabadi added: “Regional security is ensured with an end to interference and the departure of the United States, respect for the sovereignty of the countries in the region, and acceptance of new geopolitical realities—not under the umbrella of the U.S. military.” Gharibabadi’s reference was to a meeting hosted by Bahrain’s defense forces on Wednesday, 10 Tir (July 1), with the presence of Brad Cooper, the CENTCOM commander, in which senior U.S. military and officials from Arab countries discussed regional security and the continuation of the free flow of trade through the Strait of Hormuz.