Iran Blasts Trump's Plan to Claim Strait of Hormuz as US Territory

Iran vehemently rejected President Donald Trump's assertion that the United States could claim the Strait of Hormuz as a U.S. territory, dismissing his remarks as "delusions" amid escalating tensions over one of the world's most crucial energy chokepoints. The U.S. president made the remarks during an appearance on Long Island, New York, asserting that after defeating Iran, he would declare the strait a U.S. territory, claiming Washington already controls the waterway through its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Tehran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, strongly rejected the proposal, insisting that the regulation of the strait remains under Iranian authority and that the country would not be intimidated by threats. He emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz will only be closed and opened under Iran's command and criticized the U.S. for suffering "strategic and heavy defeats."

The strait, a vital route for global oil and natural gas shipments, handles approximately one-fifth of the world's seaborne energy trade. The dispute over its control has become a central point in the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which began in late February, with Tehran arguing that portions of the channel fall within its territorial waters and Washington seeking to ensure unhindered commercial passage.

The conflict has already contributed to higher fuel prices and disruptions in international shipping lanes.