New York/Tehran, 15 August (H.S.): US President Donald Trump on Friday said he intends to officially declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States, as tensions with Iran continue to escalate. He outlined the plan while addressing an event organised in support of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman at the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City.

Speaking to an enthusiastic gathering of law enforcement officials, Trump said the geopolitical move would be pursued after Iran’s military defeat. According to reports by One America News Network and Al Jazeera, Trump said, “After badly defeating Iran, I will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.” He also said a US naval blockade would ensure that no vessel could pass through the strategically important waterway without Washington’s permission.

Trump’s announcement reflects the hardline approach adopted by his administration following the failure of indirect diplomatic talks in late July.

Iranian officials responded sharply, rejecting Trump’s claims of control over the strategic waterway. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi described the proposal as impossible and said Tehran would not be intimidated by US threats or military operations. He asserted that decisions regarding whether the Strait of Hormuz remains open or closed fall entirely under Iran’s jurisdiction.

Gharibabadi said the waterway would remain under Iran’s control and that the blockade would continue until the United States backed down. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Islamabad memorandum was intended to end the war, rather than establish a ceasefire. He accused the United States of violating the agreement and said fighting subsequently resumed. Therefore, he said, there was no question of extending the 60-day ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Major General Ahmad Vahidi claimed that Iran had brought the most heavily armed US military in history to its knees. Vahidi was recently appointed to the position by Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a vessel had come under attack from an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. The incident reportedly occurred on Friday evening, with the projectile striking the hull of a vessel believed to be a bulk carrier. No casualties among the crew were reported.

Iran’s Central Military Command, meanwhile, dismissed claims of a complete US naval blockade as fabricated. However, vessel-tracking data from maritime analytics firms indicates that the number of ships passing through the Strait has fallen to around 20 per cent of pre-war levels amid the ongoing military confrontation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar