Trump declares Hormuz 'new US territory' as Iran keeps waterway shut

Trump posted a map on Truth Social calling the Strait of Hormuz "new US territory". The post further sharpened the US-Iran standoff as Tehran kept the strategic waterway closed, demanding that the US fulfil commitments it says were made under an interim peace deal.Donald Trump's remarks on the strait have been more than a one-off threat. (Photo: Reuters/Truth Social)US President Donald Trump has escalated his confrontation with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, posting a map on Truth Social that labelled the strategically vital waterway as "new US territory" even as Tehran insisted that the strait would remain closed until Washington meets a series of commitments it says were made under an interim peace deal.The provocative map appeared after Trump claimed that the United States had "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime routes for energy shipments. The move adds a striking territorial dimension to an already tense standoff over who controls navigation through the narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. A screengrab of Donald Trump's post on Truth Social. Trump's remarks on the strait have been more than a one-off threat. He has repeatedly floated the idea of declaring the strategic waterway US territory. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump reiterated that he favoured declaring the strait a US territory, claiming that Washington already had "total control" over the waterway through its blockade of Iran."I think it's a great idea. I mean, we control it with the blockade. I like the idea of declaring it a territory. We have total control over the Strait," Trump said. Trump had first raised the prospect publicly on Friday, saying he would consider declaring the waterway US territory after the war with Iran. Addressing a Republican rally in Long Island, he said: "After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated -- pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States."Iran, meanwhile, has made clear that it has no immediate plans to restore unrestricted commercial traffic through the waterway.IRAN SAYS HORMUZ WILL REMAIN CLOSED Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the strait would remain shut until the US fulfils commitments Tehran says were part of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries."I want to state clearly that the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until the American commitments stipulated in the memorandum of understanding are implemented," Ghalibaf said in a speech broadcast on Iranian state television.Ghalibaf said Tehran wants the US naval blockade lifted, oil sanctions removed and Iranian assets held overseas unfrozen.Iran says those commitments were included in a US-Iran truce reached in June. That arrangement later collapsed, leaving the two sides locked in a confrontation that has spilled from the battlefield into one of the world's most sensitive shipping corridors.TRUMP'S MAP ADDS A NEW DIMENSIONTrump's decision to post a map marking the Strait of Hormuz as US territory is likely to further irk Iran amid the widening dispute over sovereignty, navigation and military control of the waterway.The Strait of Hormuz is narrow but enormously important. It provides the maritime link between the oil-rich Persian Gulf and international shipping routes beyond the Gulf of Oman. Any prolonged disruption can therefore have consequences far beyond Iran and the US, particularly for energy markets and countries dependent on Gulf oil shipments.Iran has maintained control over navigation through the strait since the conflict began, requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit-related fees. Washington and several countries in the region have rejected the arrangement.Tehran and Oman, which both have coastlines along the waterway, have also been holding discussions on how navigation should operate. Iran said on Monday that those talks were continuing "in a serious manner", with the two sides exchanging views on the wording of a proposed joint statement. Tehran also said the geographical coordinates for a navigation route agreed upon by Iran and Oman had been settled.TENSIONS RISE AFTER VESSEL HITThe maritime standoff intensified further on Tuesday after an "unknown projectile" struck a vessel travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency."The impact caused damage to the engine room and resulted in a crew casualty," the agency said on X, adding that the remaining crew members were being assisted by the Omani Coast Guard.Iran has effectively restricted commercial traffic through the strait and has faced accusations of attacking commercial vessels and seeking to impose charges on ships using the route. Washington has strongly opposed those measures and has maintained pressure on Tehran to restore freedom of navigation.The competing claims over control of the waterway have turned the Strait of Hormuz into a major flashpoint in the wider conflict.- EndsWith inputs from agenciesPublished By: Satyam SinghPublished On: Aug 18, 2026 17:51 IST