--- title: "Iran and US clash over control of Strait of Hormuz as shipping drops 90%" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-and-us-clash-over-control-of-strait-of-hormuz-as-shipping-drops-90" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/iran-and-us-clash-over-control-of-strait-of-hormuz-as-shipping-drops-90" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-and-us-clash-over-control-of-strait-of-hormuz-as-shipping-drops-90.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/iran-and-us-clash-over-control-of-strait-of-hormuz-as-shipping-drops-90" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-08-13T09:46:55.495Z" source_reported: "2026-08-13T08:53:00.000Z" updated: "2026-08-13T09:46:55.495Z" trust_score: 86 critic_score: 87 hype_score: 30 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-13T11:00:16.479480+00:00" --- # Iran and US clash over control of Strait of Hormuz as shipping drops 90% *Tehran and Washington issue competing claims over the strategic waterway after traffic falls to 13 vessels a day* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 86 of 100, higher is better. Trust high (86) due to multiple named sources, Kpler data, and independent reports from Reality Tea and WTVB. - Craft 87 of 100, higher is better. Critic score 87; article explains significance, quotes officials, provides specific data, and maintains clear fact‑comment separation. - Hype 30 of 100, lower is better. Hype moderate (30); language is factual with mild emphasis, no clickbait or exaggerated headlines. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz fell to 13 vessels a day on 12 August 2026, a 90% drop from the pre-attack average of 130 ships. - Iran’s Basij head Hossein Taeb said the strait is under Iran’s control, while President Donald Trump claimed the US has total control over it. - Iran’s conditions for reopening the strait include ending the US naval blockade, sanctions relief, troop withdrawals and war reparations. - No left-rated outlet carried the story, according to the reports below. The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point of tension between Iran and the United States. On 12 August 2026, shipping data showed an average of 13 vessels passing through the strait daily, down from 130 before the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February. The figure marks a nearly three-month low. Iran’s Basij paramilitary unit head, Hossein Taeb, stated on 13 August that the strait is under Iran’s control and management, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. Taeb accused the US of seeking to disrupt Iran’s regional influence through the conflict. The same day, Iran’s Persian Gulf Authority posted on X that the strait remains blocked and will not reopen until Iran’s conditions are met. President Donald Trump countered on Truth Social, claiming the US has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has demanded an end to the US naval blockade, sanctions relief, American troop withdrawals and war reparations as conditions for reopening the waterway. The US has also demanded reparations from Iran. ## Disagreement over control of the strait The reports diverge on who controls the Strait of Hormuz. Reality Tea and WTVB, both centre-rated, carried Iran’s claim that the strait is under its control, with WTVB quoting Hossein Taeb’s statement to Fars news agency. Reality Tea also reported Trump’s claim of US control but noted that shipping data contradicts both sides’ assertions. The right-rated digests from CBN, Yonhap News Agency, NDTV, Free Malaysia Today and The Straits Times all reported Iran’s claim of control, with NDTV, Free Malaysia Today and The Straits Times quoting Taeb’s statement directly. Trump’s claim of US control was reported by Reality Tea, which described it as disputed by Iran, and by the digests from CBN and Yonhap News Agency. CBN framed Trump’s statement as evidence of an economic stranglehold on Iran, while Yonhap News Agency called it "the worst fake information". No outlet reported evidence of physical control by either side. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mentioned the 90% drop in shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The figure was reported by Reality Tea, the only outlet to cite data from trade intelligence firm Kpler. No left-rated outlet ran the story at all. ## Who covered it Shares of the 13 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 31% (4) - Right: 69% (9) 7 of 20 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-13T11:00:16.479480+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-13T12:00:11.974Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - The three centre-rated reports led on the contradiction between Iran’s and the US’s claims. Reality Tea’s full report opened with Trump’s assertion of total control and Iran’s firm rebuttal, then turned to shipping data showing a 90% drop in traffic. It quoted Iran’s Persian Gulf Authority on X: "Claims and repeated posts by U.S. officials that the Strait of Hormuz is no longer blocked do not change the reality." - WTVB’s full report led with Hossein Taeb’s statement that the strait is under Iran’s control and management, then noted Trump’s claim of US control the previous day. It included Taeb’s accusation that the US had sought to disrupt Iran’s regional popularity through the conflict. hngn.com’s digest reported Iran’s rejection of Trump’s claim as an interim agreement nears its 17 August expiration date. - All three centre-rated reports carried Iran’s conditions for reopening the strait: ending the US naval blockade, sanctions relief, troop withdrawals and war reparations. Reality Tea also reported that both sides have demanded reparations from each other. None of the centre-rated reports quoted US officials directly. ### Right - The five right-rated digests all led with Iran’s claim of control over the Strait of Hormuz. NDTV, Free Malaysia Today and The Straits Times each opened with Hossein Taeb’s statement to Fars news agency that the strait is under Iran’s control and management. Yonhap News Agency’s digest called Trump’s claim of US control "the worst fake information" and attributed the rebuttal to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. - CBN’s digest framed Trump’s claim as evidence that his economic measures against Iran are working, though it noted Tehran’s signals of potential escalation. None of the right-rated digests mentioned Iran’s conditions for reopening the strait or the 90% drop in shipping traffic. Only CBN and Yonhap News Agency named Trump’s claim of US control; the other three digests omitted it entirely. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 7 - high: 5 - unknown: 7 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [La Libre](https://lalibre.be/international/moyen-orient/iran/2026/08/13/liran-affirme-controler-le-detroit-dormuz-apres-les-declarations-de-trump-sur-un-controle-americain-5ZHQUD73DRH6XKPQIH7UYJF6A4) — Iran Claims to Control the Strait of Ormuz After Trump's Statements on US Control - [Republic World](https://republicworld.com/world-news/worse-than-fake-news-is-fake-intelligence-araghchi-slams-trump-s-total-control-remark-over-hormuz-2026-08-13-134652) — 'Worse Than Fake News is Fake Intelligence': Araghchi Slams Trump's 'Total Control' Remark Over Hormuz - [Portfolio](https://portfolio.hu/global/20260813/megint-cafolta-trumpot-teheran-szo-sincs-arrol-hogy-az-usa-iranyitana-a-hajoforgalmat-856032) — Tehran Refutes Trump Again: There Is No Question of the US Controlling Shipping Traffic - [Tribune India](https://tribuneindia.com/news/world/worse-than-fake-news-is-fake-intelligence-araghchi-slams-trumps-total-control-remark-over-hormuz) — Worse than fake news is fake intelligence: Araghchi slams Trumps total control remark over Hormuz - The Tribune - [Times of India](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/iran-says-strait-of-hormuz-is-under-its-control-fars-news-report/articleshow/133206712.cms) — Iran says Strait of Hormuz is under its control: Fars news report - [Daily Sabah](https://dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/iran-dismisses-us-claims-to-reiterate-control-over-strait-of-hormuz) — Iran dismisses US claims to reiterate control over Strait of Hormuz - [Aydınlık](https://aydinlik.com.tr/haber/iran-disisleri-bakani-erakciden-trumpa-hurmuz-bogazi-uyarisi-daha-buyuk-bir-yanlis-hesaplama-yapmayin-586545) — Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi Warns Trump About the Strait of Hormuz: 'Don't Make a Bigger miscalculation.' - [The Sunday Guardian Live](https://sundayguardianlive.com/world/us-israel-iran-war-latest-news-strait-of-hormuz-under-our-control-irans-new-basij-chief-says-us-has-failed-tehran-warns-of-strategic-leverage-260282) — US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: ‘Strait of Hormuz Under Our Control,’ Iran’s New Basij Chief Says ‘US Has Failed’ – Tehran Warns of Strategic Leverage - [Akşam](https://aksam.com.tr/dunya/irandan-trumpa-acik-hurmuz-tehdidi-yanlis-hesaplama-yapmayin/haber-1690287) — Iran Issues a Clear "Strait of Hormuz" Threat to Trump: Don't Miscalculate. - [CBN](https://cbn.com/news/israel/im-their-banker-trump-says-hormuz-wall-steel-working-israel-faces-security-challenges) — 'I'm Their Banker': Trump Says Hormuz 'Wall of Steel' Working; Israel Faces Security Challenges in Gaza, West Bank - [연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency](https://yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260813155200079) — "Worst Fake Information"… Iran Refutes Trump's Claim of 'Complete Control of Hormuz' - [NDTV](https://ndtv.com/world-news/iran-says-strait-of-hormuz-is-under-its-control-report-11904177) — Iran Says Strait of Hormuz Is Under Its Control: Report - [Reality Tea](https://realitytea.com/2026/08/13/donald-trump-iran-strait-of-hormuz-closed-update) — Donald Trump’s Claim About Hormuz Looks Very Different From the Shipping Data - [Free Malaysia Today News](https://freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/08/13/iran-says-strait-of-hormuz-is-under-its-control-fars-news-reports) — Iran says Strait of Hormuz is under its control, Fars news reports - [The Straits Times](https://straitstimes.com/asia/iran-says-strait-of-hormuz-is-under-its-control-fars-news-reports) — Iran says Strait of Hormuz is under its control, Fars news reports - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/08/13/iran-says-strait-of-hormuz-is-under-its-control-fars-news-reports) — Iran says Strait of Hormuz is under its control, Fars news reports - [Metrópoles](https://metropoles.com/mundo/ira-diz-que-estreito-de-ormuz-esta-sob-seu-controle) — Iran Says Strait of Ormuz Is Under Your Control - [Moneycab](https://moneycab.com/international/iran-an-trump-die-strasse-von-hormus-bleibt-blockiert) — Iran to Trump: "The Road From Hormus Remains Blocked" - [hngn.com](https://hngn.com/articles/272667/20260812/iran-parliament-panel-advances-bill-control-hormuz-us-presses-arms-makers-war-footing.htm) — Iran Rebuffs Trump's Hormuz "Control" Claim as MoU Nears Expiry - [Daily Finland](https://dailyfinland.fi/worldwide/50824/Hormuz-remains-blocked-Iran-dismisses-Trumps-claims) — Hormuz remains blocked, Iran dismisses Trump's claims ## Questions **How much has shipping through the Strait of Hormuz dropped?** Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to 13 vessels a day on 12 August 2026, a 90% drop from the pre-attack average of 130 ships. The figure is based on data from trade intelligence firm Kpler, as reported by Reality Tea. **What does Iran want to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?** Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has demanded an end to the US naval blockade, sanctions relief, American troop withdrawals and war reparations as conditions for reopening the strait. Both Iran and the US have also demanded reparations from each other, according to Reality Tea. **Which outlets reported on the Strait of Hormuz dispute?** Centre-rated outlets Reality Tea, WTVB and hngn.com, and right-rated outlets CBN, Yonhap News Agency, NDTV, Free Malaysia Today and The Straits Times carried the story. No left-rated outlet ran it, according to the reports below. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-and-us-clash-over-control-of-strait-of-hormuz-as-shipping-drops-90. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Iran and US clash over control of Strait of Hormuz as shipping drops 90%", https://mediabias.news/conflict/iran-and-us-clash-over-control-of-strait-of-hormuz-as-shipping-drops-90