Trump threatens to declare strait of Hormuz ‘territory of the United States’

Donald Trump, during a speech at a police academy in Long Island, New York, threatened to declare the Strait of Hormuz as "a territory of the United States" in his ongoing efforts to conclude the war with Iran. This remark, made on Friday, is serious enough to signal a new policy position, though it is uncertain whether it does.

The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for global trade, facilitates about a fifth of the world's seaborne oil supplies. Iran has not reopened the Strait and continues to defy demands from the US, which has been blockading Iranian shipping and ports to pressure Tehran economically. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned that Tehran would not be intimidated by any show of force by the US, stating that the Strait would only be opened or closed under Iran's authority.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Iran has not decided to resume talks with the US, and recent messages via Qatar and Pakistan do not amount to negotiations. Separate talks with Oman are focused on defining a sea route through the Strait, while the US will have to meet conditions for shipping to resume through the waterway.

Despite fuel prices rising sharply due to the war, Trump insisted that Americans paying more for gasoline should remember the importance of stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The US administration has repeatedly claimed victory in the war, with Tehran remaining steadfast in its demands.