US President Donald Trump has once again claimed the Strait of Hormuz as “new US territory.” This claim has escalated tensions between Washington and Tehran to a critical level. However, Iran has rejected the assertion, stating unequivocally that this vital international waterway will not be opened unless Washington changes its policies. Online outlet Gulf News reported this development.
On Sunday, Trump shared an image on his platform, Truth Social, designating the Strait of Hormuz as US territory. He had previously posted a similar image on August 18 and, during a speech in Long Island, threatened to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US region soon. Reacting sharply to Trump’s statement, Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, remarked that the gap between failing to open the Strait of Hormuz and claiming ownership of it is greater than the 7,000-mile distance separating Washington from the strait. Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department is preparing to impose the “toughest sanctions in history” on Tehran, a move that includes plans to pressure China, a major buyer of Iranian oil.
Terming the impending sanctions a violation of international law, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that it would respond to any action while upholding its national interests and dignity. At the same time, Iran warned its neighbors in the Middle East that any country assisting the US in this economic war would be considered an “enemy.”
