WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said he will “soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States after what he described as the defeat of Iran.
Speaking at a political rally at a police academy in New York state on Friday, Trump said the United States would “finish defeating” Iran before making the declaration.
“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,” Trump said, adding, “It’s true.”
A White House official later clarified that Trump was joking, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Iran, however, rejected the claim. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz “has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian” in a post on X.
“This strait will only be closed and opened under Iran’s command,” he added.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy and commodity shipments. Tensions over the strait have escalated amid the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Trump said the US has imposed a blockade and that no ships would be allowed through unless Washington permits them.
“We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to,” Trump told supporters at the rally.
Iran has denied access to much of the civilian shipping passing through the strait, while the US Navy has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports as part of efforts to put pressure on Tehran’s economy.
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