Iran rejects Trump’s claim of U.S. control of Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump has intensified his confrontation with Iran, warning that Tehran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons while making a sweeping claim that Washington currently controls the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.Speaking at a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Trump said the US would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and warned that failure to do so could have serious consequences. He also suggested that Washington was not under pressure to reach an agreement with Tehran, despite claiming that Iran was eager to negotiate.Iran Warns Of 'Devastating' Response As US Plans Toughest-Ever Economic Sanctions Trump claims US control over Strait of HormuzTrump described the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route, as effectively being under American control. Earlier, while speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, he said the US had “total control” of the area surrounding the waterway in the context of the ongoing blockade and confrontation with Iran.The Strait of Hormuz has become a major flashpoint in the tensions between Washington and Tehran because a significant share of global energy supplies passes through the narrow maritime route.Trump had also promoted the claim on Truth Social by sharing an AI-generated image depicting the waterway as “NEW U.S. TERRITORY”.Trump said Iran was interested in reaching an agreement but had yet to accept terms that Washington considered satisfactory. He indicated that the US would wait before deciding whether negotiations were worthwhile.Iran, however, rejected Trump’s characterization of the Strait of Hormuz. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the US President’s understanding of the waterway’s status would eventually be corrected.The exchange highlights the continuing escalation between the two countries, with the nuclear issue, maritime access and control of a vital energy route emerging as key points of contention.

Hormuz is our territory Trumps warning as Iran vows devastating response

Trump labels Strait of Hormuz ‘US territory’ as Iran says Israel is biggest obstacle to negotiations US President Donald Trump has claimed the Strait of Hormuz as American territory as his frustration mounts over a war with Iran that has resisted his demands and dragged global shipping into crisis. Trump posted a map of the strategic waterway on Truth Social on Tuesday bearing the caption “New US Territory”. The provocation revived his threat last week to declare the strait American territory following an Iranian “surrender” that never came. Instead, Tehran has tied the reopening of the passage to Washington fulfilling an interim agreement, including ending its naval blockade, lifting sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian assets. Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday the waterway would remain closed until Washington honoured its commitments. “Let me state clearly: Until the commitments made by the United States in the memorandum of understanding, including the lifting of the blockade, the release of frozen assets, the lifting of oil sanctions, the end of threats and military operations on all fronts, and other conditions to which America agreed in the memorandum, are implemented, the strait will not be opened,” Ghalibaf said. Read more: Trump labels Strait of Hormuz ‘US territory’ as Iran says Israel is biggest obstacle to negotiations On 15 August 2026, Iran rejected the US president’s threat to declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory, saying the crucial energy waterway it has blockaded 'will remain Iranian' (AFP)  

The post came hours after Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reiterated that Tehran would not allow the strait to reopen unless the US meets a series of demands linked to the June MoU.

'Delusional': Iran Fires Back At Trump's Make 'Hormuz Strait A Territory Of The US' Ambitions Predictably, Iran has on Saturday issued a full-throated rejection of President Trump's Friday evening words related to the status on the conflict and energy transit in the region. In a speech on New York's Long Island, Trump introduced the idea of declaring the Strait of Hormuz a US territory. "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 told a crowd of law enforcement officers. Trump on declaring the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory post the conflict with Iran 👇 pic.twitter.com/BjgW8pNKIQ — Brian Schwartz (@schwartzbWSJ) August 14, 2026 "Essentially, that's what it is. We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to," he added. He claimed oil prices were coming "way down". Some pundits pointed to what seemed like classic hyperbole and his penchant for floating extreme scenarios in off-the-cuff fashion; however, Trump made the statement without any qualifiers other than it will happen when Iran is "badly defeated" by the United States. That seems to be the big if in the future scenario. A Saturday X response from Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi asserted the US has zero authority to claim the strait: "The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian," he wrote, as translated from Persian to English. "This strait will only be closed and opened under Iran’s command." The Iranian official then claimed all of Trump's assumptions about the conflict were delusional, showing that Washington does "not accept the reality of defeat" and so must stop indulging in its "delusions". The Iranians have been reiterating that they will continue to enforce their blockade, also as the US Navy continues blocking imports and exports from Iranian ports. Tehran continues to present the Oman deal - still pending finalization - as completely independent of US desires and conditions, and so better not interfere: Iran has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of technical negotiations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has told state-run Defa Press. "Despite US obstruction, the talks have made positive progress over the past three weeks and an agreement has been reached on the shipping route map." He added that both sides were still negotiating outstanding issues, including a statement to be issued by Tehran and Muscat, noting that exchanges between the two countries would continue until the process was finalized. Given the two sides continue holding to conflicting absolutist demands and conditions, there's a likelihood of further fighting - though it could continue to at a limited, tit-for-tat and slow pace. Some Republican hawks are calling for some kind of bold military action by Trump, such as ordering the takeover of Kharg Island in order to show the Iranians and the American public that Tehran does not have the upper hand ahead of US November midterm elections. However, the nearly six months of war so far has tended to demonstrate that each new escalation has not tended to go well for Washington, as Iran digs in its heels and escalates a response in turn. Tyler Durden Sun, 08/16/2026 - 11:05

Iran slams Trump comment about making Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Iran's ongoing negotiations with Oman are "completely separate" from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that the talks with Muscat are focused on establishing new maritime routes for ships.According to Al Jazeera, Araghchi told Shahrara News that new navigation lanes need to be designated because the previous routes are no longer operational."Our negotiations with Oman are ongoing. That is a completely separate matter. It is a technical issue concerning the designation of maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz for the passage of ships," Araghchi said.Temporary maritime route being designedAraghchi said Iran and Oman were working on a temporary navigation route that could eventually become permanent."For now, we are designing a temporary route, which can then, at a later stage, be turned into a final route," he said.While indicating that the negotiations could yield an agreement soon, Araghchi stressed that establishing the maritime route would not automatically mean the Strait of Hormuz would reopen."We may reach an outcome soon, but I want to emphasise that these negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz are two separate issues. This is a technical negotiation concerning the designation of a maritime route," he said.He added that once the route was finalised, the resumption of shipping through the strategic waterway would depend on the US meeting certain conditions."Once this route has been determined, whether the Strait will be reopened or not will depend on the fulfilment of other conditions to which the United States must adhere," Araghchi said.Iran hits back at Trump's Hormuz remarksOn Friday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected US President Donald Trump's remarks that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz "a territory of the United States" after defeating Iran. Gharibabadi said the strategic waterway "cannot be seized by tweet" or military force.In a post on X, Gharibabadi said Iran "neither fears threats nor cowers before displays of power" and asserted that the Strait of Hormuz "has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian"."Trump has said that after Iran's defeat, he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz as US territory! The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech. Iran neither fears threats nor cowers before displays of power," Gharibabadi said."Once and for all, accept the reality: up to this point, you have suffered strategic and heavy defeats; the Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian; this strait will only be closed and opened under Iran's command, and as long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and cease your fanciful delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade," he added.Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's National Security Commission, also warned Trump against US threats to Iran and "endless bluffing" over the Strait of Hormuz."The U.S. President ought to worry about his own security rather than his endless bluffing regarding the Strait of Hormuz; before he ends up hiding in a food truck," Azizi wrote on X.Trump claims US has 'total control' over StraitTrump had said at a rally in Long Island that he intended to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory after the war with Iran ended.Terror Strikes Pakistan's Balochistan: Two Women Shot Dead, Seven Terrorists Killed"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.Trump had earlier claimed the US exercised "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and that he "will keep it" amid stalled negotiations with Iran over reopening the strategic waterway."The USA has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, 'A WALL OF STEEL,' and there is nothing Iran can do about it," Trump said.The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most sensitive geopolitical chokepoints. Previous military standoffs in the region have triggered increases in international crude prices and concerns about a wider conflict.

TEHRAN — Iran on Saturday fired back at US President Donald Trump’s claim that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory, saying the crucial energy waterway it has blockaded “will remain Iranian”. Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strait, which Tehran effectively closed at the start of the Middle East war in late February, is under US control despite traffic remaining throttled. “The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on X. “This strait will only be closed and opened under Iran’s command.” READ: […]...Keep on reading: Iran to Trump: Strait of Hormuz 'will remain Iranian'

Iran fires back at Trump’s claim to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory, asserting the crucial waterway “will remain Iranian” amid ongoing tensions. Read More: https://punchng.com/iran-slams-trumps-threat-to-declare-hormuz-us-territory/

Iran insists the Strait of Hormuz will remain under its control, while US president Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strait is under US control despite traffic remaining throttled.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly said the strait, which Tehran effectively closed at the start of the West Asia war in late February, is under U.S. control an assertion the Islamic Republic denies

Iran on Saturday rejected President Trump’s assertion that he could declare the Strait of Hormuz a “territory of the United States,” saying the opening and closure of the key waterway will remain up to Iran’s control. In a post on the social platform X, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the U.S. has no...

TEHRAN – Iran on Saturday fired back at US President Donald Trump’s claim that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory, saying the crucial energy waterway it has blockaded “will remain Iranian”. Trump has repeatedly said the strait, which Tehran effectively closed at the start of the Middle East war in late February, is under US control — an assertion the Islamic republic denies. “The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on X. “This strait will only be closed and opened under Iran’s […]...Keep on reading: Iran fires back at Trump's threat to declare Hormuz a US territory

Iran on Saturday fired back at US President Donald Trump's claim that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory, saying the crucial energy waterway it has blockaded "will remain Iranian". Trump has repeatedly said the strait, which Tehran effectively closed at the start of the Middle East war in late February, is under US control -- an assertion the Islamic republic denies. "The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on X.

"The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on X. The post Iran fires back at Trump’s threat to declare Hormuz a US territory appeared first on Vanguard News.