U.S. President Donald Trump posted a map on his Truth Social account on 18/8, circling the Strait of Hormuz and labeling it "new U.S. territory". In a subsequent post, Trump stated that no negotiations with Iran were ongoing or scheduled, and the U.S. would continue to fully enforce a naval blockade against the nation.

"The Strait of Hormuz remains open and operating normally. All naval mines have been removed or detonated," President Trump wrote.

Map of the Strait of Hormuz with the text "new U.S. territory" posted by President Donald Trump on 18/8. Photo: Truth Social/Donald J. Trump

These posts appeared a day after President Trump called the idea of declaring the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory "a great idea." On 17/8, he said, "I mean, we control it. We are controlling the Strait of Hormuz with a blockade, and I like the idea of declaring it U.S. territory."

Trump had previously stated on 14/8 that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz "part of U.S. territory" after defeating Iran. He asserted that the U.S. controls the Strait of Hormuz, and no vessel can pass without its permission.

However, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected Trump's statement. "The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by a social media post, an aircraft carrier, a decree, or a campaign speech. Iran is not afraid of threats and will not succumb to shows of force," he stated.

The Strait of Hormuz, a 161 km long waterway between Iran and Oman, has a narrowest point of 33 km, with each shipping lane only about 3 km wide. The strait has been largely paralyzed since the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.

In mid-June, the U.S. and Iran signed a joint memorandum, including a provision to restore maritime activity in Hormuz. However, interpretive disagreements led to the collapse of the ceasefire.

Current routes used by vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Graphic: CNN

Vessels currently transiting Hormuz must rely on either the northern route through Iranian territorial waters or the southern route near the Omani coast. Iran has warned it does not guarantee the safety of transit vessels without prior notification to Tehran.

Last week, Iranian officials announced an agreement with Oman on the maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, notably without mentioning the U.S. Iran has not yet commented on Trump's latest declaration.

By Nguyen Tien (AFP, Reuters, CNN)