U.S. Central Command said late Thursday that the U.S. military has cleared the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian sea mines. File Photo by EPA
Aug. 28 (UPI) — The U.S. military said it has clear the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian mines, removing a major obstacle to President Donald Trump‘s goal of regaining freedom of navigation through the vital energy route, though Iran refutes the claim.
The strait has become a focal point in the U.S. war against Iran, which has been restricting maritime traffic at the chokepoint via military drones, missiles and mines since the conflict began.
Trump has repeatedly stated for months that the strait is open, despite the number of ships making it through each day dwindling from about 140 vessels to only a handful.
U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper announced in a video posted online that the U.S. military has “achieved a major milestone” in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We have successfully cleared sea mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes that were laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Internationally recognized transit routes in the strait are free of Iranian sea mines, thanks to the incredible work of the U.S. military,” he said.
Cooper made the announcement a day after Trump on Tuesday said on his Truth Social platform that he had been informed that the mines had been cleared by the U.S. Navy.
“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” he said.
“Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait,” he added. “There is Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect.”
The claim could not be independently verified.
However, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, refuted Trump’s comments, saying only Iran knows where the mines are, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.
“The Strait of Hormuz is closed both because of the presence of mines and because of our military actions. If America is making this claim, why is not a single vessel passing through?” he said, seemingly meaning none have transited without Iran’s permission.
“These remarks are propaganda intended to create calm in global energy markets. No one has accepted these claims.”
Gharibabadi was speaking about framework for the strait being by Iran and Oman.
A provision of the proposed agreement concerns the implementation of a joint project to clear the strait of mines.
Iran has restricted transit of the strait since the war began Feb. 28, when it was attacked by the United States and Israel. While the United States launched the war with the goal of preventing Tehran from securing a nuclear weapon and encouraging regime change, the Trump administration has now focused on regaining freedom of navigation through the strait. Iran is fighting to maintain its ability to oversee ships transiting the chokepoint.
US President Donald Trump has said that the US Navy has removed or detonated all mines in the Strait of Hormuz – the vital waterway which Iran has largely closed since the beginning of the war in the Middle East.
“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
There is no comment from Iran.
Closure of the strait has caused wild fluctuations in the price of oil on world markets. Trump has often said the US has control of the area – but Iran has fired against vessels it says have sought to cross without its permission.
Some 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas used to transit the Strait of Hormuz before the war, which began on 28 February with US and Israeli air strikes against Iran.
In addition to closing the strait, Iran retaliated against Israel and against US bases in the region as well as US Arab allies in the Gulf.
A ceasefire aimed at facilitating talks to end the war has collapsed and there has been intermittent exchange of fire between the US and Iran.
However, this week the US announced a raft of economic sanctions against Iran.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that any nation financially partnering with Iran would be isolated.
Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June – a 14-point document which set a 60-day deadline to reach a deal on the Strait of Hormuz, before substantial negotiations on resolving the nuclear issue – allegations that Iran is building a nuclear weapon, which Tehran has consistently denied.
However, that deadline has now expired and talks have collapsed leading to the new US sanctions that Trump believes will lead to the collapse of the Iranian regime.
Iran has been under sanctions for most of the time since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979 and Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Tehran was “fully prepared” for the wider sanctions, which he added would lead to “another defeat” for the US.
Its economy, however, has suffered as a result of the war – and a blockade of Iranian ports that the US has been maintaining for weeks not to allow trade to continue.
On Tuesday, China – the biggest buyer of Iranian oil – said it was firmly opposed to what it called the US’s “illegal unilateral sanctions” and would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its rights.
The US announcement comes ahead of planned talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month.
Washington is likely to be wary of potential retaliation from Beijing, which processes the majority of the world’s rare earths and other critical minerals, crucial in the manufacture of many high-tech products.
Beijing has already tightened export controls on rare earths as part of previous trade negotiations with the US.
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South Korean Lee Hyung-il (65), who lost his leg after stepping on a landmine while farming at age 24, looks on landmine signs on display during an interview in the border village of Haemaru-chon near the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) in Paju, South Korea, 17 June 2026. Former South Korean soldier Kim Ki-ho has spent more than two decades working alone to remove millions of landmines left along the border since the Korean War (1950–53). Kim said he will continue the high-risk work for the rest of his life to help promote regional peace. Photo by JEON HEON-KYUN / EPA
June 26 (Asia Today) — South Korean defense experts, mine-clearance researchers and technology companies called for broader government, military and civilian cooperation to remove land mines and unexploded ordnance near the Demilitarized Zone, saying the weapons continue to threaten residents more than seven decades after the Korean War.
The Defense and Security Forum held its fourth roundtable Thursday at the Korea Mine Clearance Research Institute’s DMZ Peace Center in Haemaru Village in Paju, a restricted border area north of the Civilian Control Line.
The event, titled “Korean War DMZ Field Forum: Peace Grows When the Land Heals,” coincided with the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War and South Korea’s month of remembrance for veterans.
Security specialists, field researchers, border residents and representatives of defense and information technology companies discussed mine removal, restoration of contaminated land and cooperation among government agencies, the military and private organizations.
The forum said areas contaminated by land mines, unexploded ordnance and other explosives in and near the DMZ and Civilian Control Zone are estimated to cover about 128 square kilometers, or 49 square miles.
It also cited estimates that about 2 million land mines remain buried across the Korean Peninsula’s heavily fortified border region.
The mines are not merely remnants of a past conflict, participants said. They continue to endanger people living in border communities and impede plans to preserve the DMZ as an internationally recognized area of peace and environmental conservation.
Residents in front-line communities face risks while farming, traveling and using land near suspected minefields.
Participants said previous mine-clearance accidents have also made local governments reluctant to pursue development, public infrastructure and community revitalization projects in some border regions, including areas around Cheorwon in Gangwon Province.
The discussion came after South Korea’s mine-action law took effect in February 2025.
The law establishes procedures for safely detecting and removing mines, unexploded ordnance, abandoned munitions and booby traps that are no longer considered militarily necessary.
It also allows qualified private corporations and organizations to conduct detection and removal work under government approval and safety requirements. The military previously handled most such operations.
Participants said cooperation with civilian specialists has become increasingly important as South Korea’s military faces declining troop numbers and difficulties retaining experienced mine-clearance personnel.
Baek Gun-ki, chairman of the Defense and Security Forum, said the country must remember the lessons of war while working toward a safer future.
“We must reflect on the tragic lessons of war and open the way toward a secure future for South Korea,” Baek said.
Seo Nam-yeol, president of the forum, moderated the discussion.
Kim Ki-ho, director of the Korea Mine Clearance Research Institute, presented an assessment of unconfirmed minefields and proposed directions for future clearance operations.
Forum director Kang Tae-jun outlined the South Korean Defense Ministry’s mine-action road map and discussed steps needed to expand cooperation between military and civilian organizations.
Representatives of South Korean defense and technology companies developing artificial intelligence-based detection systems and other advanced mine-clearance equipment also attended.
They discussed the technical limitations of equipment now used by the military and civilian organizations and agreed to pursue cooperation on developing and testing more advanced systems under field conditions.
Participants said mine action is evolving from a labor-intensive military task into a broader security and humanitarian undertaking that combines advanced technology, government policy and specialized civilian expertise.
Following the roundtable, participants visited a nearby area classified as an unconfirmed minefield.
The forum said the visit demonstrated that land mines are not solely a military issue but also affect public safety, land use, economic development and the daily lives of people in border communities.
“Land mines are like bullets lodged in the waist of the Korean Peninsula,” the forum said. “Only after those bullets are removed can vitality return to the peninsula and the lives of border residents fully recover.”
The group called on the central government, military, local governments and private mine-clearance organizations to develop a coordinated national response.
The forum said it plans to launch a nationwide campaign supporting mine clearance across the Korean Peninsula.
It also plans to strengthen South Korea’s mine-action capabilities and expand cooperation with international organizations and overseas specialists, including the United Nations Mine Action Service.
Organizers said South Korea could use its growing defense technology expertise to contribute to international humanitarian mine-clearance operations as well as domestic efforts.
A preliminary discussion featuring Kim and Seo was released online before the event. Video of the roundtable and field visit is expected to be published through the YouTube channel Cheongunmanma.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260626010009324