A bitter diplomatic standoff between Washington and Tehran escalated on Saturday after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he would declare the strategic Strait of Hormuz an American territory, drawing swift rejection from Iranian officials who vowed to maintain their maritime blockade.
The exchange comes as peace negotiations remain frozen and vital commercial shipping through the Persian Gulf corridor remains largely paralyzed. The conflict, initiated by U.S. and Israeli military strikes on February 28, has choked off global energy routes and triggered severe price volatility across international markets.
Escalating Rhetoric Over Strategic Waterway
Addressing a political rally in Garden City, New York, President Trump labeled Iran “very evil” and claimed Washington would establish formal territorial control over the waterway once military operations concluded.
He urged American consumers to tolerate rising pump prices, arguing that paying higher energy costs was necessary to neutralize Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
Tehran Rebuffs Territorial Claims
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected the assertion via social platform X, declaring that the passage cannot be seized by political declarations or military force. Gharibabadi reiterated that traffic through the chokepoint will remain restricted until Washington acknowledges military realities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that formal talks have not resumed, stating that shipping will remain suspended until U.S. authorities comply with specific maritime conditions.
Economic and Energy Fallout
The geopolitical gridlock has fueled inflationary pressure worldwide. Data from the American Automobile Association shows U.S. gasoline averaging $4.08 per gallon—a 29% surge over the previous year.
Crude benchmarks reflected the supply strain, with Brent crude futures climbing 6.0% across the trading week and West Texas Intermediate posting a 5.4% gain.
