In comments on Saturday, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said the claims made by the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) about escorting oil tankers and the departure of one billion barrels of oil over the past two months are more an unsuccessful psychological operation than a reflection of reality.

He said the US claims are aimed at boosting the morale of its “tired and exhausted” military forces in the region and justifying the heavy financial and human costs incurred by Washington in the area.

Shekarchi added that such claims cannot change the withdrawal of the “aggressor” US military from the region.

“The initiative in the Strait of Hormuz remains in the hands of Iran's powerful Armed Forces,” he stressed.