Iran Warns US on Strait of Hormuz Control; Trump Cites Fuel Prices for Nuclear Concerns

Iran has issued a strong warning to the United States, asserting that the strategic Strait of Hormuz will be controlled solely by Tehran. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi declared on X, "This strait will be opened and closed only under Iran's command, and so long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and stop indulging in fantasies, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade."

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This strait will be opened and closed only under Iran's command, and so long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and stop indulging in fantasies, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the situation, urging Americans to brace for continued high fuel prices as a consequence of the conflict. Speaking at a rally in Garden City, New York, Trump stated that paying "a tiny little bit more for your gasoline" is a necessary cost to prevent "a very evil country" from obtaining nuclear weapons, a primary justification he has cited for the war. The average U.S. gasoline price stood at approximately $4.08 per gallon on Friday, a 29% increase from the previous year, according to the American Automobile Association.

Progress toward peace talks and the resumption of oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that handled one-fifth of the world's oil before the war, remains stalled. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi indicated that Tehran has not decided to resume talks with the U.S., stating that Washington must meet conditions related to the strait for shipping to resume. Gharibabadi further dismissed the notion that the strait's status could be altered by U.S. actions, saying, "The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by a tweet or an aircraft carrier, by issuing an order or by delivering an election speech."

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paying 'a tiny little bit more for your gasoline' is worth the cost of ensuring 'a very evil country' could not have a nuclear weapon

Despite Iran's defiant stance, the conflict appears to be taking an economic toll. President Masoud Pezeshkian attributed high inflation to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and sanctions on oil exports. Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have pledged further financial pressure on Iran, with Bessent indicating that new measures would be announced soon. Trump, however, defended the U.S. military presence, stating that a 260-day deployment by a U.S. aircraft carrier supporting the war effort was "not nearly long enough."

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The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by a tweet or an aircraft carrier, by issuing an order or by delivering an election speech.