Trump says he will turn the Strait of Hormuz into U.S. territory "very soon"
The US president has said he will do so after "defeating" Iran and has stated that ships will not be able to cross the strait without Washington's permission; Tehran has replied that "you cannot take it with tweets, aircraft carriers, decrees, or election speeches."
U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that he will "very soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory after the end of his war with Iran. He has made these statements in a context where negotiations between the two sides are struggling to move forward. Tehran has quickly rejected Trump's words and claimed control over that strategic defeat.
Trump says the United States will control the Strait of Hormuz
"When we finish defeating Iran, which is suffering a terrible defeat, I will very soon declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory, basically that's it," Trump said at an event in Garden City.
The President of the United States also referred to the maritime blockade and said that 'if we do not allow it, no ships pass'.
Trump has made these statements in a context of heightened tension between Washington and Tehran as both sides struggle to sit at the negotiating table.
Iran Rejects Trump's Threats
Iran's response has been immediate. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has condemned the words of the US president and stated that "the Strait of Hormuz cannot be taken with tweets, aircraft carriers, decrees or election speeches."
Gharibabadi added that Iran "is not afraid of threats or intimidated by displays of power," and urged the trump administration to "accept reality once and for all."
Tehran claims control over the Strait
Iran's deputy foreign minister has claimed that the US has suffered "serious strategic failures," and has argued that the Strait of Hormuz "was Iranian, is Iranian, and will be Iranian."
Gharibabai has said that the Strait "will only open and close under Iranian authority." He has also warned that Iran will maintain the blockade until Washington accepts the reality of defeat and abandons its "illusions."
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's leading hydrocarbon transport routes, and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
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