President Trump Posts Map Labeling Strait of Hormuz ‘New US Territory’
By The Media Line Staff
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday posted a map labeling the Strait of Hormuz “New US Territory,” days after saying he planned to declare the strategic waterway part of the United States and threatening military action against Oman if it obstructed US efforts there.
The post came after President Trump said Friday that Washington could claim the strait once its conflict with Tehran was concluded.
“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,” he said during a speech at a police academy in New York on Friday.
President Trump also linked his territorial claim to the US naval blockade. “Essentially, that’s what it is,” he added.
Iranian officials rejected President Trump’s comments as “nonsense.” Tehran has continued to block passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil and gas is transported. The United States has maintained its naval blockade as part of its efforts to exert economic pressure on Iran.
The 60-day deadline for the two sides to reach an agreement ending the conflict expired Sunday. President Trump has said he is not rushing to finalize a deal and claimed that he has a backchannel to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Iran has denied that claim.
The US president also threatened Oman on Sunday, warning against interference with US actions in the strait. “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Trey Yingst.
Meanwhile, negotiations between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz are continuing despite complications in the talks.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that negotiations were proceeding “in all seriousness,” but said several outside actors were attempting to influence the process.
Those efforts have contributed to delays in reaching an agreement, Baghaei said. His comments followed recent optimism that Tehran and Muscat could be approaching an agreement intended to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
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