Iran has strongly dismissed remarks by US President Donald Trump about declaring the Strait of Hormuz as American territory.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi insisted that the strategic waterway “has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian.”

Trump told supporters at a rally in New York on Friday that once Iran is defeated, he would “pretty soon” declare the strait part of the United States. A White House official later said the comment was made in jest.

Gharibabadi emphasised that only Iran has the authority to open or close the strait. Tehran has largely restricted traffic through the waterway since the start of the Middle East conflict earlier this year, affecting a critical route for global energy supplies.

Iran has outlined conditions for reopening the strait, including an end to military actions against it and its regional allies, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets, and compensation for damage caused by the conflict. Attacks on ships in the area have continued, with the United Arab Emirates accusing Iran of involvement in recent incidents.

Before the crisis, the Strait of Hormuz handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. The ongoing restrictions have pushed up energy prices and increased pressure on international markets while talks between the two sides remain stalled.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper