Former US President Donald Trump has said the United States will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz American territory, according to a report from the South Korean outlet 한겨레. The statement, made public on Saturday, drew an immediate rebuke from Iran, which dismissed the idea as a baseless fantasy.
Iranian officials responded sharply, asserting that the strait has always been, and will remain, Iranian territory. The exchange marks another escalation in the long-running standoff over the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of the world's oil passes.
According to 한겨레, Trump's declaration is the latest in a series of confrontational moves regarding the strait. The report also notes that Iran has tied the resumption of shipping through the waterway to specific conditions. Tehran has stated that passage will only resume after the United States ends its naval blockade and provides compensation, as reported by Yonhap Infomax.
The dispute comes amid signs that the US military is facing limits in its campaign against Iran. A separate report from Newsis suggests that the prolonged conflict is pushing US allies to seek new options, indicating that the current approach may be straining alliances and resources.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides holding firm on their positions. Iran's demand for an end to the blockade and reparations sets a clear precondition for any return to normal navigation, while Trump's territorial claim introduces a new and potentially destabilizing element to the crisis.
What to watch next is whether the US follows through on Trump's declaration and how Iran's allies in the region respond to the heightened rhetoric.
