US President Donald Trump has said he will “soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz United States territory once Iran is defeated, a claim swiftly rejected by Tehran and introducing a contentious new dimension to stalled ceasefire negotiations.
Trump told reporters the declaration would come “pretty soon,” framing control of the world’s most critical oil chokepoint as contingent on the outcome of the ongoing conflict. The remarks mark a sharp escalation beyond the earlier dispute over Iran’s own sovereignty claims to the waterway.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister responded that the strait “will remain Iranian,” flatly dismissing any prospect of foreign control. Roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through the narrow passage between Iran and Oman, making it a persistent flashpoint in regional and global energy security.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had made no decision on returning to negotiations with Washington. He noted that Iran was working with Oman on diplomatic routes, but indicated that any resumption of Hormuz shipping would depend on the United States meeting Iranian conditions.
The territorial claim has become a sticking point in ceasefire talks. What began as a dispute over navigation rights has now expanded into a question of sovereignty over international waters, a shift that legal and maritime observers say complicates any negotiated settlement.
The latest exchange follows months of escalating confrontation over the strait, including a period earlier this year when US naval forces blockaded the waterway as peace talks broke down. Reports also emerged of another commercial vessel being struck in the area, underscoring the continued risk to shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean. At its narrowest, it spans roughly 33 kilometres, with shipping lanes running through both Iranian and Omani territorial waters. There is no established legal mechanism under international law by which a single nation could unilaterally declare the passage its own territory.
Tehran has repeatedly asserted its authority over the northern side of the strait, while Washington maintains that the corridor constitutes an international waterway open to free navigation. The competing claims leave little immediate common ground for negotiators.
With no date set for a return to talks and conditions on shipping still unmet, the standoff appears likely to persist. The coming weeks will test whether either side is prepared to move beyond entrenched positions on the disputed waterway.