Iran Dismisses Trump’s Claim to Declare Strait of Hormuz as US Territory
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has responded to US President Donald Trump’s statement that he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a “territory of the US” after defeating the Islamic Republic. The ministry stated that the strait will remain under Tehran’s control and called on Washington to “stop indulging in delusions.”
The statement comes after President Trump said he would soon declare the sea passage a US territory. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem 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.”
Gharibabadi also emphasized that the 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 that the strait “cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech.”
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz began after US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, prompting Tehran to close the strait. The US responded by imposing a naval blockade of Iranian ports, disrupting traffic through one of the world’s most important energy corridors and causing global oil prices to soar to as high as $120 a barrel.
Iran has set out conditions for reopening the strait, including compensation for war damage, the lifting of sanctions, and the release of frozen Iranian funds. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated that reopening the strait will depend on Washington fully accepting Tehran’s conditions.
President Trump has said that his administration is in no rush to reach an agreement, and that Washington is “low-keying” the negotiations while allowing economic pressure on Tehran to build. The talks between the US and Iran have been ongoing, with a 14-point memorandum of understanding establishing a temporary ceasefire and providing for the gradual lifting of the US blockade of Iranian ports. However, fighting resumed in July after both sides failed to agree on how the deal should be implemented.
Article and image source: israelherald.com
