The United States has rejected Iran’s claim that its Revolutionary Guard seized an advanced American unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz. The latest development adds another layer to the growing confrontation surrounding the strategically important waterway, with Washington disputing Tehran’s account of what happened to the alleged Remus 600 drone.

By PK-News.com News Desk
September 27, 2026

The United States has rejected a claim by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that Iranian forces captured an advanced American unmanned underwater vehicle operating in the Strait of Hormuz.

PK-News.com researched the latest developments from available international reporting and official statements, and the information currently available shows a direct disagreement between Tehran and Washington over the alleged seizure.

According to reports published on September 27, Iran’s IRGC announced that its naval forces had captured what it identified as a Remus 600, an advanced unmanned underwater vehicle. Iranian officials said the operation involved intelligence and electronic-warfare capabilities and claimed that the vehicle was being used for surveillance activities in the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States, however, rejected the Iranian account.

A U.S. Central Command spokesman, Captain Tim Hawkins, told Al Jazeera that the U.S. military maintains control of its operational drone assets. He characterized the Iranian claim as “clearly desperate,” according to reports published on Sunday.

Iran Claims It Captured Remus 600

The IRGC said its naval forces conducted what it described as a coordinated and complex operation involving military intelligence and electronic warfare.

Iranian state media reported that the underwater vehicle was identified as the Remus 600, an autonomous underwater system designed for a range of maritime missions.

Iran claimed that the vehicle had been transferred to specialists who would examine the system and attempt to recover information stored on it. Tehran also used the announcement to reiterate its position regarding activity in the Strait of Hormuz.

The claim comes at a particularly sensitive moment because the Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of wider tensions involving Iran, the United States and regional security.

Washington Disputes Tehran's Account

The U.S. military has not accepted Iran's version of events.

According to the latest reports, CENTCOM spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said the United States retains “positive control” of its operational drone assets. The statement directly challenges the Iranian assertion that the Remus 600 was captured.

The disagreement means that, at present, there are two conflicting accounts of the incident and no independently established evidence in the reporting reviewed by PK-News.com that conclusively resolves the dispute.

For readers following the story, this distinction is important: Iran has claimed the seizure, while the United States has denied that an operational American drone was captured.

Why the Strait of Hormuz Matters

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most strategically important maritime chokepoints. Events in the waterway can have consequences beyond the immediate military confrontation because the route is closely connected with global energy transportation and international shipping.

The latest drone dispute therefore comes against a much wider backdrop of tensions surrounding navigation, military operations and diplomatic efforts involving Iran and the United States.

Iran's announcement that the alleged vehicle was conducting intelligence activities also highlights the growing importance of unmanned maritime technology in modern military and surveillance operations.

Previous Iranian Claim

The latest announcement is not the first time Iranian authorities have claimed to have captured an American unmanned underwater vehicle.

Earlier this month, Iranian authorities said they had captured another U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. International reporting identified that earlier system as a Dive-LD, another autonomous underwater vehicle.

The new claim involving the Remus 600 has therefore attracted additional attention because it represents another alleged incident involving American unmanned maritime technology.

What Happens Next?

The immediate question is whether Iran will release additional evidence supporting its claim and whether the United States will provide further information about the status and location of the alleged vehicle.

Iranian authorities have said specialists were examining the captured system and attempting to retrieve its information. Meanwhile, Washington's denial leaves the central issue unresolved.

As the situation develops, further statements from the U.S. military, Iranian authorities or independent sources could provide additional information.

PK-News.com will continue monitoring the situation and update this report as verified information becomes available.

Iran's IRGC says it captured a U.S. Remus 600 underwater drone.
Iran says the operation involved intelligence and electronic-warfare capabilities.
Tehran says specialists are examining the alleged captured vehicle.
The United States rejects the claim.
A U.S. Central Command spokesman said the U.S. retains control of its operational drone assets.
The competing claims have not been independently resolved in the latest reporting reviewed by PK-News.com.
The incident comes amid wider tensions surrounding t