Iran Hits Back at Trump Over Hormuz Claim: ‘It Was, Is and Will Remain Ours’
Iran rejects Donald Trump’s threat to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory, saying the strategic waterway cannot be taken by force or “a tweet” as tensions between Iran and Washington escalate
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that he could soon declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory, with a senior Iranian diplomat insisting that control of the strategic waterway cannot be imposed through military force or a presidential declaration.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Friday that the United States would have to acknowledge what he described as its defeats against Iran rather than attempt to impose its will on the country.
“The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by a tweet, an aircraft carrier, an order, or an election speech,” Gharibabadi said in a post on X.
He added that Iran was “neither afraid of threats nor can it be intimidated by a show of force”, insisting that the waterway remained under Iranian control.
“The Strait of Hormuz was Iran’s, is Iran’s, and will remain Iran’s,” he said.
Gharibabadi further said the strait would be opened or closed only at Iran’s command, accusing Washington of refusing to accept what he called the reality of its defeat.
His remarks came a day after Trump said the US Navy was enforcing a complete blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and claimed that, after defeating Iran, he would “declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory very soon.”
Trump also said the United States had “full control” of the waterway and suggested that Washington could maintain that control.
Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected the US position, saying the strait would remain closed while Washington maintains its military intervention and naval blockade and fails to meet Tehran’s conditions under the June framework agreement between the two countries.
Ibrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which coordinates the country’s military operations, disputed Trump’s claim of unrestricted US control.
“No vessel will be permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s permission and supervision,” he said.
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