Iran has dismissed former President Donald Trump’s assertion that he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the U.S., urging the United States to abandon what it terms “delusions.”
On Friday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded on social media, stating, “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.”
He further emphasized that, “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. As long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and cease your fanciful delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade.”
This reaction followed a statement made by Trump at an event supporting Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman in New York, where he claimed, “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,” to the crowd’s applause.
A White House official later indicated that Trump was joking, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for approximately 20% of the world’s oil exports, has significantly diminished. While peacetime levels typically see 100 to 140 ships daily, including around 50 oil tankers, only six vessels reportedly passed through the strait last weekend, according to ship-tracking company Kpler.
Iran attempts to intercept ships navigating this narrow passage, though some vessels are turning off their transponders and risking undetected crossings.
Vice President JD Vance stated during an interview that the primary goal is to “keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country,” while also highlighting the importance of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
