US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory after what he described as the defeat of Iran. The announcement was made in New York, while the war and ceasefire negotiations between the two countries continue.
The strait is a major route for global oil, natural gas and fertiliser shipments. Traffic through it was previously unrestricted, but Iran has restricted passage during the conflict and the United States has established its own blockade.
A disputed waterway at the centre of negotiations
The Strait of Hormuz was an artery for roughly 20 percent of the global oil supply before the war. Control over the waterway has become a major sticking point in ceasefire negotiations between Washington and Tehran, and fighting has resumed there in recent months.
Iran says part of the strait falls within its territorial waters and has continued strikes against commercial vessels. The United States recently fired on a cargo ship it accused of trying to reach Iranian ports. Trump described the US blockade as “a wall of steel” and said it was a service to countries that depend on the route.
Related coverage: Iran links Strait of Hormuz reopening to US concessions.
How the conflict reached this point
The United States and Israel began the war with Iran on February 28 after launching a series of strikes. In June, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding intended to stop military operations. One term required Iran to make its “best efforts” to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels.
Both sides later accused the other of violating the memorandum, and fighting resumed by the end of June. Negotiations have since reduced the intensity of fighting across the Middle East but have not ended the war.
Iran rejects the proposed US claim
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, rejected Trump’s statement. He said the strait could not be taken over by a social media post, an aircraft carrier, a decree or an election speech, and added that Iran was not intimidated by threats or force.
More context: Two ADNOC vessels attacked in Strait of Hormuz, UAE says.
The two governments have also discussed possible tolls on commercial traffic. Trump previously suggested that the United States could act as the strait’s “guardian” while charging a 20 percent fee on goods passing through it. Legal experts cited in the source material said such tolls would violate international law, which generally protects the free transit of commercial maritime vessels.
The announcement comes amid domestic and economic pressure
Trump made the remarks while supporting Republican candidates for the 2026 midterm elections, when control of Congress is at stake. A Quinnipiac University poll from late July found that 60 percent of US voters opposed US military action against Iran.
Trump also said the United States would use economic leverage to weaken and isolate Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent separately indicated that new economic measures could be announced in the coming days, while reports cited in the source material have pointed to constraints on further military escalation because of pressure on US munitions stockpiles.
Also read: Mohsen Rezaei takes Iran’s top security post amid Hormuz talks.
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