US-Iran war latest: Donald Trump reveals plans to declare Strait of Hormuz a US territory
In response, Iran said it ‘neither fears nor cowers’ to the threats.
US President Donald Trump has made a shocking claim about the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
During a speech at the Nassau County Police Academy David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence in New York on Friday, he covered different parts of the ongoing war.
He asked attendees to consider paying more for petrol, NBC reported.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“For you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember you’re doing it so that a very evil country cannot have a — really, it’s the number one state sponsor of terror in the world — we don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
“Remember that when you have to pay a little bit more, you’re at $4.
“I’ll never apologise.
“I did the right thing.”
These comments come one day after Vice President JD Vance said that “goal number one” of the war was to keep fuel prices low.
But it was a different part of Mr Trump’s address which came as a surprise.
“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,” he said.
“Essentially, that’s what it is.
“We have the blockade.
“No ships get through unless we want them to.”
It is unclear how this would work, nor if it was a serious proposition.
The war with Iran has been going on since February 28 and the Strait of Hormuz has formed the foundation for much of the peace deal negotiations.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi slammed the President’s claims on X.
“Trump has said that after Iran’s defeat, he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. territory,” a translated quote read.
“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.
“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.”
