Florida, July 29 -- Amid heightened tensions with Tehran and mounting anxieties regarding maritime safety in the Gulf, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of trying to intimidate merchant vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining that the crucial sea route remains accessible for global passage regardless of claims made by Iran.

In an official communication released on Wednesday, CENTCOM stated that the IRGC had recently issued threats and attempted strikes against commercial ships and civilian seafarers traversing the strategic passage.

The American military also charged the Iranian outfit with attempting to force preferred navigation routes on global commercial...