Trump to declare Hormuz Strait US territory, Iran calls it 'delusional fantasy'
Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- President Donald Trump declared he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory and threatened a tenfold retaliation for any further Iranian attacks.
- Trump asserted U.S. ownership of the strait, claiming control over vessel passage and stating Iran was losing hundreds of millions of dollars daily due to the blockade.
- Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected Trump's claims as
President Donald Trump declared he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory and threatened a tenfold retaliation for any further Iranian attacks.
We truly own the Strait of Hormuz. We allow passage of ships only when we want. Our blockade is like a wall of steel. Nobody has ever seen anything like it.
Trump asserted U.S. ownership of the strait, claiming control over vessel passage and stating Iran was losing hundreds of millions of dollars daily due to the blockade.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected Trump's claims as "delusional fantasies," asserting that the strait has always been and will remain Iranian territory, subject only to Iran's command for blockade and opening.
If Iran launches additional attacks, we will repay it 100 times over.
Trump's remarks, made during a speech and a Fox News interview, were interpreted as a reiteration of the U.S. military's "wall of steel" blockade operation in the Strait of Hormuz. He also mentioned using the military more than anticipated to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, emphasizing the need for pressure on the Iranian regime.
The Strait of Hormuz cannot be controlled by tweets, aircraft carriers, orders, or election speeches. This strait was Iran's in the past, is Iran's now, and will remain Iran's territory.
"We truly own the Strait of Hormuz," Trump stated, adding, "We allow passage of ships only when we want." He further elaborated on the blockade's impact, describing it as a "wall of steel" unlike anything seen before. "If Iran launches additional attacks, we will repay it 100 times over," he warned.
This strait will be blocked and opened only by Iran's command. As long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and are lost in delusional fantasies, Iran will continue the blockade.
Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.