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| An unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is shown operating underwater. Photo credit: Unsplash. |
TEHRAN - Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has claimed that it captured a second US unmanned underwater vehicle operating in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
According to a statement carried by Iranian state media, the IRGC said its naval forces intercepted a Remus 600, an autonomous underwater vehicle, during what Iran described as a coordinated intelligence and electronic-warfare operation. Iranian officials alleged that the vehicle was being used for espionage in the waterway.
The IRGC described the vehicle as an advanced unmanned underwater system and said it had been transferred to specialists who would examine the equipment and attempt to recover information stored on it. The Iranian military also reiterated its position that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and warned against what it called unauthorised movements through the waterway.
However, the US military has disputed Iran’s account. US Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told Al Jazeera that the United States retains “positive control” of its operational drone assets. The US response therefore contradicts Iran’s claim that the vehicle was successfully captured.
The reported incident is significant because it involves the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime routes for energy shipments. The waterway has become a major flashpoint amid the ongoing confrontation between Iran, the United States and Israel.
This is also not the first Iranian claim involving a US underwater drone this month. Earlier, Iran's IRGC said it had captured another autonomous underwater vehicle, identified as a Dive-LD, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. US officials previously disputed aspects of that incident, saying the earlier vehicle had malfunctioned and was not carrying sensitive classified equipment.
The latest Iranian statement comes as Tehran and Washington remain locked in a wider dispute over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has maintained that the waterway is closed, while the United States has challenged restrictions on maritime movement.
The incident also comes shortly after Iran proposed a seven-day roadmap involving a ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. According to reports, the proposal included measures concerning the US naval blockade, sanctions and frozen Iranian assets. US President Donald Trump rejected the proposal.
For now, the status of the Remus 600 remains disputed. Iran says its forces captured the underwater vehicle and are examining it, while the US military says it maintains control of its operational drone assets. Independent confirmation of Iran's claimed capture was not provided in the reports reviewed.