Trump claims control of Hormuz amid Iran's closure threat

President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric regarding the Strait of Hormuz, posting a map on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday that labeled the vital waterway as "new North American territory." He asserted that the strait is "open and operational," claiming all naval mines had been removed or detonated.

This declaration comes as Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, stated the strait would remain closed until the United States fulfills conditions of a provisional agreement signed in June. Qalibaf outlined these conditions to the Iranian Parliament, including the lifting of U.S. blockades on Iranian ports, the removal of oil sanctions, the unfreezing of Tehran's assets, and an end to military threats and operations.

The memorandum of understanding, reached on June 17, quickly faltered over control of the strait, a Persian Gulf waterway that previously handled one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas before the war. Trump declared the deal "over" on July 7, and Iran's Foreign Ministry declared it "suspended" a week later. Under the memorandum, Iran and the U.S. had committed to negotiating a final agreement on broader issues, including Iran's nuclear program, within 60 days, with an option for mutual extension.

Earlier on Monday, Trump had also threatened to bomb Oman, which shares geographic access to the strait with Iran, if it "gets in the way" of a U.S. deal concerning Hormuz's administration. He urged Tehran to surrender. Iran and Oman have been in months of negotiations.