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Iran has firmly rejected President Donald Trump's claim that the Strait of Hormuz could be declared a "territory of the United States." Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded on X, stating that the strategic waterway "cannot be seized by tweet" and urged President Trump to abandon his "delusions." Gharibabadi emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz has always been under Iranian control and will remain so.
The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for global oil supplies, is currently under the shared jurisdiction of Iran and Oman. President Trump suggested during a speech at a police academy in New York on Friday (August 14) that he would soon declare the strait as U.S. territory. He has previously deployed a U.S. naval blockade in the area during the ongoing conflict, which began on February 28, 2026.
Traffic through the strait has significantly decreased due to the conflict, with only a few vessels passing through recently. According to The Hill, only six vessels traveled through the strait last weekend, a stark contrast to the typical 130 to 140 ships per day before the war.
Observers have criticized Trump's claim, with former U.S. diplomat Richard Haass stating that no country controls the Strait of Hormuz. Bernama-IRNA reported that Gharibabadi reiterated Iran's stance, saying the strait could only be opened or closed under Iran's command.
The conflict has caused global energy prices to surge, and negotiations to end the war have made little progress. NBC News reports that a 60-day negotiation period is set to end on Monday, with few direct talks between the U.S. and Iran taking place.