Trump reiterates plan to declare Strait of Hormuz 'US territory'
Synopsis
Donald Trump reiterated his plan to declare the Strait of Hormuz a 'US territory,' asserting Washington has 'total control' via its naval blockade. He claimed Iran's military is 'totally defeated' and its economy is a 'mess'.
United States President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) reiterated his remarks about declaring the Strait of Hormuz as a "US territory," asserting Washington DC has "total control" in the region. Speaking to reporters, Trump emphasised the effectiveness of the US naval blockade on Iran and stressed that oil prices are coming down and the Strait of Hormuz is open. He added that Iran is in big trouble, noting, "they have 300 per cent inflation, the country's a mess, and their military is totally defeated."
"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. Now, they can be a nuisance; they can put a mine in the water, and people don't like having mines hit their billion-dollar ships. But the blockade has been very effective. Now, maybe that will stop, or maybe it'll open up even further, but we're taking out millions of barrels of oil a week if you look at the kind of numbers that we're doing," Trump said.
"The Strait is open, and the oil prices are coming down, and they will continue to come down unless we decide to do something far more drastic than what we're doing. Iran is in big trouble. They have 300 per cent inflation, the country's a mess, and their military is totally defeated," he added.
Previous Remarks and Warnings
Earlier on Friday (local time), Trump said he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz "a territory of the United States" after the war with Iran, The New York Post reported. Addressing a Republican rally in Long Island, Trump 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."
Donald Trump has also warned Oman against getting involved in a deal with Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, saying the United States would "bomb the s*** out of them" if Muscat interferes with Washington's position on the strategic waterway. During a phone call with Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst earlier in the day, Trump discussed the situation with Iran as the 60-day memorandum of understanding, signed in June to open negotiations to end the war in West Asia, expires. Trump told Fox News that "Iran should raise the white flag of surrender" in that context, while adding that he has "no time schedule".
Iran Hits Back at Trump's Remarks
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission spokesperson, Ebrahim Rezaei, targeted US President Donald Trump's recent remarks regarding Iran's "surrender" amid ongoing West Asia tensions between the two countries.
In an X post, Rezaei, while referring to Trump's remarks, stated that Iran will not "surrender," adding that the people who should surrender are those "who flee in shame and humiliation in a food truck," taking aim at the US. "Trump has once again spoken of Iran surrendering. Great Iran is not one to surrender; the one who should surrender is the one who flees in shame and humiliation in a food truck," Ebrahim Rezaei wrote on X. (ANI)