President Trump says the Strait of Hormuz will soon be declared US territory, drawing a defiant response from Tehran as Iran clings to a failing blockade.
President Trump declared Friday that the United States will soon claim the Strait of Hormuz as American territory, delivering a blunt message of American dominance as the war with Iran grinds toward its endgame. Speaking at an event in Nassau, New York, Trump said that once the U.S. finishes defeating Iran, he will "pretty soon" declare the vital waterway a territory of the United States. Tehran responded with familiar defiance, insisting the strait "has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian" no matter what Washington does.
"After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States," Trump said Friday. "We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to."
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically important chokepoints on the planet, carrying roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil supply. Trump has repeatedly asserted U.S. control over the waterway during the conflict, telling reporters earlier this week that "we have control over it. Nobody else. Only us." The U.S. Navy has enforced a blockade of the strait during the campaign, and Trump's latest remarks signal he sees the waterway as a prize Washington has earned.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi fired back on social media Saturday, insisting the strait "cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech." He added that the waterway "will only be closed and opened under Iran's command."
Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari called U.S. claims of control "lies and fabrications," claiming no commercial ship or tanker can pass without Tehran's permission. The rhetoric is a far cry from the reality on the water. Iran shut the strait in late February at the start of the conflict, collapsed a June memorandum of understanding, and watched the U.S. reimpose its blockade in July. Shipping traffic through the waterway has slowed to a trickle, and Tehran's demands for reopening -- an end to sanctions, release of frozen assets, and compensation for war damage -- are conditions Washington has flatly refused.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that no negotiations with the United States are underway, though Qatar and Pakistan continue relaying messages between the two sides. "This does not mean negotiations," Araghchi said, adding that Tehran has not decided whether to resume talks with Washington.
Separately, Iran and Oman have reportedly reached an understanding on a maritime navigation map for the strait after three weeks of talks aimed at establishing safe routes through the strategic waterway. The diplomatic maneuvering comes as shipping attacks continue: an ADNOC vessel was struck while transiting Hormuz on Friday, with no injuries reported, and maritime authorities logged another bulk carrier hit by an unknown projectile in the strait.
Trump's declaration is the latest sign that Washington sees victory within reach and is positioning for the postwar order. Whether the U.S. formally designates the strait as territory or simply continues to exercise command of the waterway, the message to Tehran is unmistakable: the blockade is not going away, and Iran's only answer is rhetoric.
Watch for whether Washington formalizes its claim, how Tehran responds to continued shipping pressure, and what the White House does next as the war enters its final phase. Iran's options are narrowing by the week, and its defiance is starting to look less like strength and more like denial.
President Trump says the Strait of Hormuz will soon be declared US territory, drawing a defiant response from Tehran as Iran clings to a failing blockade.
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