Trump Vows To Claim Strait Of Hormuz As US Territory ‘Pretty Soon’; Iran Hits Back

<p>US President Donald Trump has intensified his warnings over the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington could seek control of the strategically vital waterway once its confrontation with Iran comes to an end. His latest statement comes as shipping activity through the strait has fallen sharply amid the escalating US-Iran standoff.</p> <h3>Trump Floats US Claim Over Key Waterway</h3> <p>Addressing supporters at a rally in New York on Friday, Trump said the United States could take an unprecedented step after the conflict with Iran. He said,&nbsp;"After we finish defeating Iran... I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States."</p> <p>Trump did not outline how such a declaration could be implemented or what legal authority Washington would rely upon. His comments, however, add to increasingly forceful statements from the US president about the waterway, which is a crucial route for international energy supplies.</p> <p>Earlier this week, Trump claimed the United States had "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and described the American naval blockade as a "WALL OF STEEL."</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EcVtBycWPt0?si=bjipHX1xSZ2JUYeX" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a title="'Their Dreams Inspire Us': PM Modi Pays Tribute To Freedom Fighters On Independence Day" href="https://ift.tt/02gWeSy" target="_self">'Their Dreams Inspire Us': PM Modi Pays Tribute To Freedom Fighters On Independence Day</a></strong></p> <h3>Iran Rejects Trump's Claim</h3> <p>Tehran swiftly dismissed Trump's remarks, maintaining that Iran retains authority over the strait and that decisions concerning its passage remain under Iranian control. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded on X, arguing that Washington should recognise what he described as its losses in the confrontation.</p> <p>He said: "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, and as long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and cease your fanciful delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade."</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a title="Who Will Succeed Chandrasekaran? Neville Tata, Top Tata Executives Emerge As Contenders, Says Report" href="https://ift.tt/4UgLm2n" target="_self">Who Will Succeed Chandrasekaran? Neville Tata, Top Tata Executives Emerge As Contenders, Says Report</a></strong></p> <h3>Vessel Movement Through Strait Plunges</h3> <p>The impact of the standoff is increasingly visible in commercial shipping data. Kpler tracking indicated that only two vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, and neither was a crude oil tanker.</p> <p>The figure followed nine crossings on Thursday and five on Wednesday. Those numbers are considerably lower than the August daily average of 12 crossings and dramatically below the roughly 130 vessels that previously travelled through the waterway each day before the US-Israeli campaign against Iran began in February.</p> <h3>US Details Blockade Operations</h3> <p>US Central Command said that by August 14, American forces had redirected 62 commercial vessels, disabled three vessels and boarded two as part of efforts to enforce the blockade.</p> <p>Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that the United States could continue the operation "indefinitely", with naval vessels being rotated through the region.</p> <h3>Iran Says No New Talks Decided</h3> <p>Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran had not decided to resume negotiations with Washington, according to semi-official ISNA.</p> <p>He acknowledged that Qatar and Pakistan were maintaining contact with Iran as intermediaries, but cautioned that this "does not mean negotiations."</p> <p>Araghchi also disputed interpretations of an Islamabad memorandum, saying it referred to an "end to the war" rather than a ceasefire. He rejected suggestions that a 60-day truce was in place and would require renewal.</p> <p>According to Araghchi, Iran is instead working towards a temporary arrangement that could eventually develop into a more permanent framework. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz already severely reduced, Trump's latest territorial claim adds another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile confrontation.</p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-iran-war-trump-vows-to-claim-strait-of-hormuz-us-territory-pretty-soon-iran-hits-back-tehran-1862128