Iran Warns Trump Over Strait of Hormuz Claim

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has criticized US President Donald Trump over his claim to the Strait of Hormuz, warning that his "delusion" of portraying the strategic waterway as "new US Territory" will either be corrected or Tehran will set him straight.

"Just as Trump correctly referred to the Persian Gulf by its proper name, his delusion about the Strait of Hormuz will soon either be dispelled, or we will set this deluded man straight," Gharibabadi wrote on X.

Trump posted an image on Truth Social on Tuesday showing a map labeling the Strait of Hormuz as "New US Territory," without providing further comment.

The post came days after Trump said he would "pretty soon" declare the Persian Gulf waterway US territory. He also threatened to bomb Oman if it interfered with his efforts to reach an agreement with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.

"If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them," Trump said on Monday.

His threat against Oman, a US ally, came amid growing frustration over his failure to end the war launched against Iran and reach an agreement over the strategic waterway.

Iran initially agreed to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping for 60 days following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US on June 17.

After Washington violated the agreement's terms, including its commitment to a cessation of hostilities on all fronts, Tehran refused to resume direct talks with Washington.

Iran instead entered negotiations with Oman over the future of the waterway while setting new conditions for any resumption of talks with Washington, including the lifting of illegal sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and a permanent end to US aggression.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that Tehran and Oman had reached an understanding on a proposed transit arrangement and were finalizing the details of a joint declaration.

According to Tehran, the talks respect the sovereign rights of coastal states and seek to ensure safe navigation in accordance with international law.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean.

Iran restricted transit through the waterway following the start of the US-"Israeli" aggression against the Islamic Republic in late February.

The disruption has already affected global energy and shipping markets, while Iran maintains that non-hostile vessels can still safely pass through the waterway in coordination with Iranian authorities.