Tehran, August 15, 2026 — Iran has sharply rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest threat over the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategic waterway cannot be seized by a social-media post, an aircraft carrier, a military order or a political speech, and that Washington should accept what Tehran describes as defeat. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi made the remarks in a post on X after Trump said the United States would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory following what he called Iran’s defeat. Gharibabadi said the waterway “was, is and will remain Iranian,” while stressing that decisions over whether the strait is opened or closed remain under Iran’s command. The exchange has further intensified an already volatile confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with the strategic waterway at the centre of the wider conflict. Reuters reported that the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil previously passed, has effectively been closed amid the confrontation, with tanker traffic falling sharply. Iran has maintained that access will remain restricted unless the United States accepts defeat and meets Tehran’s conditions, while Washington has continued to push for the waterway to be reopened. The standoff over Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors, is raising concerns over global oil supplies, shipping costs, fuel prices and broader regional security, as both sides continue to issue increasingly uncompromising statements.
Control of Hormuz cannot be taken by tweeting, US must accept defeat: Iran
