Trump Claims He Will Declare Strait of Hormuz US Territory

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump said Friday he would “soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory after defeating Iran, escalating his rhetoric over the strategically vital waterway.

Speaking at a political rally in New York State, Trump said Washington has control over the waterway and can determine which ships are allowed to pass through.

Trump and the “Israeli” occupation launched their war on Iran on February 28, claiming aims of ending Tehran’s nuclear program and sparking an uprising, but Iran struck back and secured control over much of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, amid an ongoing US-Iran standoff and competing maritime restrictions.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters reaffirmed that the Strait remains firmly under Iranian control, rejecting US claims that maritime traffic has returned to normal.

The headquarters said Washington’s claims were an attempt to project control that had not materialized on the ground, stressing that the Islamic Republic continues to determine the conditions under which ships can cross the Strait.

Iranian officials also rejected US assertions regarding normal navigation, arguing that Washington’s military presence and declarations have failed to restore unrestricted maritime traffic without Iranian approval.