Trump labels Strait of Hormuz 'New US Territory' as Iran vows to keep it shut

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday escalated his claim over the Strait of Hormuz by posting an image that labelled the strategic waterway as "NEW U.S. Territory", even as Iran insisted that it would keep the passage restricted until Washington met its conditions. The image shared on Trump's Truth Social account showed a map of the waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, with the Strait of Hormuz circled and the words "NEW U.S. Territory" prominently displayed. The post followed several days of Trump publicly floating the idea of bringing the waterway under American control. Trump had first said last week that he would "pretty soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States, arguing that the US naval blockade effectively gave Washington control over which ships could pass. He repeated the position while speaking to reporters on Monday. "I like the idea of declaring it a territory," Trump said, without detailing how Washington could legally or practically make such a move. The Strait of Hormuz, bordered by Iran and Oman, is one of the world's most important energy transit routes. Roughly one-fifth of globally traded oil passed through the waterway before the current conflict sharply disrupted shipping. Trump also claimed that the US blockade was working and that Washington exercised "total control" over the strait. His administration continued to blockade Iranian shipping as part of its campaign to pressure Tehran. Iran rejects Trump's control claim Iran, however, rejected Washington's assertion and linked the reopening of the strait to the fulfilment of commitments it said the US made under the interim agreement reached in June. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that Tehran would continue restricting traffic until Washington lifted its blockade and oil sanctions, released frozen Iranian assets and stopped military operations and threats. "Until the United States fulfills its commitments under the agreement, including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen assets, lifting oil sanctions, ending threats and military operations on all fronts, and implementing the other conditions to which it committed, the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen," Ghalibaf said. The dispute followed the breakdown of the June Memorandum of Understanding between Washington and Tehran. The agreement envisaged an end to military operations and gave the two sides 60 days to negotiate a broader settlement. It also called for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen and for the US blockade on Iran to be lifted. Instead, both sides accused each other of violating the arrangement. Iran attacked vessels using a US-overseen route along Oman's coast, while Washington responded with strikes, restored its blockade and withdrew exemptions that had allowed Iranian oil exports under the temporary arrangement. The 60-day negotiating period expired on Monday without a broader agreement, leaving Washington and Tehran locked in another confrontation over control of the waterway. Iran was separately negotiating with Oman over a mechanism for managing ship movements through the strait. Ship struck as tensions rise The confrontation gained further urgency on Tuesday after a vessel travelling out of the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile. The UK Maritime Trade Operations said the impact damaged the vessel's engine room and caused a crew casualty. The agency did not initially say whether the crew member had been killed or injured. The remaining crew members were being assisted by the Omani Coast Guard, while authorities investigated the incident. No environmental damage was reported. The attack highlighted the continuing risks to commercial shipping as Washington and Tehran traded competing claims over one of the world's most critical maritime passages, with neither side showing signs of backing down.