‘Only Iran commands this strait’: Tehran fires back at Trump over Hormuz annexation vow

Iran has vehemently rejected US President Donald Trump's assertion that he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a part of US territory, asserting that the strategically important waterway will remain under Iranian control. Tehran effectively closed the strait at the start of the Middle East war in late February, disrupting global energy supply chains.

"The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian," said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, emphasizing Iran's control over the vital trade route. Trump had claimed last week that he would announce the strait as US territory once the US defeats Iran, though the White House later clarified that the remark was a joke.

Iran has set forth a series of conditions for reopening the strait, including an end to the "war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq," release of sanctions, and compensation for wartime damage. Recent attacks on oil vessels belonging to the United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil giant ADNOC have underscored the ongoing threats to regional shipping, exacerbating tensions between the two nations.

Even as diplomatic efforts falter, the ongoing attacks highlight the continued risks to global shipping through the crucial strait.