New York [US], August 15 – US President Donald Trump has said he will “soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory after what he described as the defeat of Iran, although a White House official later said Trump was joking.
Speaking at a political rally at a police academy in New York state on Friday Trump said the United States would first “finish defeating” Iran before making such a 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.
Iran rejected the claim. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz “has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian.”
He added that the waterway would only be opened or closed under Iran’s command.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global shipping route for energy and commodities and tensions around it have intensified amid the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Trump also said Washington had imposed a blockade and that ships would not be allowed through without US permission.
Iran has restricted access for much civilian shipping through the strait while the US Navy has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports as part of efforts to pressure Tehran economically.
The exchange has added to uncertainty surrounding one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
