US President Donald Trump has said that after the war with Iran ends, he intends to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory. He made the statement on August 14, according to infohub.kz.
"After we defeat Iran, I will very soon declare the Strait of Hormuz to be US territory," Trump said.
The American president also claimed that the US effectively controls ship traffic through the strait thanks to a naval blockade. "In effect, that's the case. We have imposed a blockade. No ship passes through the strait unless we want it to," he said.
Trump did not explain how Washington could legally declare an international strait US territory. He has previously claimed "total control" over the strait. On August 12, he called the US blockade a "wall of steel" and asserted that Iran could not stop it.
Tehran rejects Washington's claims. Iranian authorities say they control the strait and can set the terms for ships passing through it. Iranian officials have also said they do not intend to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the US meets a number of demands.
Among Tehran's demands are the lifting of US sanctions, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, and compensation for damage caused during the war. Trump, in turn, has demanded compensation from Iran for damage he says Tehran has inflicted over decades.
Negotiations to end the conflict remain deadlocked. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a decision on resuming direct talks with the US has not yet been made. Mediators continue to exchange messages between the parties.
The Strait of Hormuz is considered one of the key routes for global energy trade. Before the war, about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through it.
Due to the conflict, ship traffic through the strait has sharply declined. According to Reuters, in August the number of cargo ships passing through remains significantly below normal levels. Supply restrictions are already putting pressure on the global energy market and fuel prices.