Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
US President Donald Trump on Sunday again shared an image on Truth Social describing the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz as “NEW US Territory”, escalating his rhetoric over the key waterway as Iran maintained that the strait remains closed unless Washington changes its approach.
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Trump had first shared the same image on August 18, after previously declaring that he could soon claim the Strait of Hormuz as US territory. Speaking at a police academy on Long Island on August 14, Trump had said, “Pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.”
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei has earlier hit back at US President Donald Trump’s claims over the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “The gap between America’s inability to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and its claim to own it is greater than the 7,000-mile distance between Washington and the Strait itself.” He added, “Welcome to the post-American order in the Persian Gulf.”
ECONOMIC WAR ESCALATES
Trump’s latest post comes as Washington prepares to impose fresh sanctions on Iran, adding another layer to the growing economic confrontation between the two countries.
Iran has condemned the planned sanctions, warning that they could further strain its economy and affect major trading partners, particularly China, which remains a key buyer of Iranian oil.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to announce what he has described as “the toughest sanctions in history” against Iran. He has also urged China to cooperate with Washington over Tehran’s oil exports.
IRAN REJECTS US PRESSURE
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has criticised the planned sanctions as an attempt to impose US authority beyond its borders.
“Such secondary sanctions find no foundation in international law,” Baghaei said in a post on X.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, also warned neighbouring countries against supporting Washington’s economic campaign.
“We are telling all nearby countries not to join the US economic war, otherwise we will consider them as enemies,” Rezaei said.
HORMUZ REMAINS AT THE CENTRE
The Strait of Hormuz has become the main flashpoint in the wider confrontation, with Iran maintaining that the waterway is closed and threatening action against unauthorised oil tankers.
The disruption has severely affected global energy shipments. Only a handful of commodity vessels have crossed the strait, with major crude carriers and LNG tankers largely absent.
Iran has, however, permitted some Iraqi oil tankers to pass through following requests from Baghdad.
OIL FLOWS HIT BY CRISIS
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the US military had helped move an average of 8 million barrels of oil a day through the strait over a seven-day period.
That is significantly below the more than 20 million barrels a day that moved through the waterway before the war, underscoring the impact of the crisis on global energy supplies.
Iran’s ability to disrupt tanker traffic remains a major concern, with Tehran retaining significant missile and drone capabilities despite heavy damage to its military infrastructure.
TRUMP AND IRAN REMAIN AT ODDS
Trump has repeatedly warned countries against providing Iran with “any type of lifeline” and has insisted that Tehran must accept what Washington considers the right deal.
Iran, meanwhile, has remained defiant while also signalling that it is open to diplomacy.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for a diplomatic solution to end the conflict, arguing that Iran should seek an end to the war while retaining its strength and dignity.
With Trump again referring to the Strait of Hormuz as “NEW US Territory” and Iran insisting that the waterway will remain closed without a change in Washington’s approach, the strategic passage remains at the heart of the escalating US-Iran confrontation.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
