 |
| An unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is shown operating underwater. Photo credit: Unsplash. |
Washington/Tehran, September 28, 2026: The United States military has rejected Iran’s claim that its forces seized an American underwater drone operating in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the US maintains control over its operational unmanned systems.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had earlier claimed that its naval forces captured an advanced unmanned underwater vehicle during what it described as a coordinated intelligence and electronic-warfare operation. Iranian authorities identified the vehicle as a REMUS 600 and alleged that it had been conducting surveillance in the strategically important waterway.
The US military disputed the claim. US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins said that the United States maintains “positive control” of all its operational drone assets. He described the Iranian assertion as “clearly desperate.”
The conflicting statements come amid heightened tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime energy routes.
Iran's claim
The IRGC said its naval forces had captured the underwater vehicle through what it described as a complex operation involving intelligence and electronic warfare. Iranian state media reported that the system had been transferred to military specialists for examination and recovery of information.
Iran initially described the captured system as a REMUS 600, an autonomous underwater vehicle capable of operating without a crew onboard. Such systems can be used for tasks including underwater surveillance, mapping, inspections and mine-related operations.
Iranian officials also reiterated their position that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and warned against what they described as unauthorised movements through the waterway.
US rejects the allegation
Washington has not accepted Iran's account of the incident. CENTCOM's statement that it retains positive control of its operational drone assets directly contradicts the IRGC's assertion that an American underwater vehicle was captured.
The disagreement means that the alleged seizure remains unverified and disputed. There is currently no independently confirmed evidence establishing that Iran successfully captured a US operational underwater drone.
The latest dispute follows another Iranian claim earlier in September that it had intercepted a different US-linked autonomous underwater vehicle near the Strait of Hormuz.
Rising tensions around Hormuz
The dispute comes as the United States and Iran remain involved in a broader confrontation over the strategic waterway. Recent diplomatic efforts have focused partly on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while military and maritime tensions continue.
The Strait is a crucial route for global energy shipments, making any military confrontation or disruption there significant for international shipping and energy markets.
For now, the two sides are presenting sharply different accounts of the alleged underwater-drone incident. Iran says its forces captured the vehicle, while the US military says it retains control of its operational unmanned assets. No independent confirmation of Iran's seizure claim has been reported.