Iran rejected on Saturday assertions by US President Donald Trump about a possible declaration of the Strait of Hormuz as US territory. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that Hormuz cannot be conquered "with a tweet or aircraft carriers, nor through the issuance of an order or an election speech".
Gharibabadi said that Iran "is not intimidated by threats nor is it cowed by shows of force" and maintained that the strait "has been, is and will continue to be Iranian". The diplomat warned that the strait "will only be closed and opened under Iran's orders" and that unless Trump accepts "the reality of his defeat", Iran will continue to impose the blockade.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's main maritime routes for oil and gas transport and has become one of the main focal points of tension between Washington and Tehran amid military escalation in the region.
Iran and Oman are holding talks on shared management of the strait and the establishment of a new shipping route. Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbás Araghchi, said that these discussions are "completely separate" from negotiations with Washington, which have been stalled since the last escalation between the parties in July. Araghchi indicated that "no decision has yet been taken to resume negotiations with the United States", although he specified that the mediating countries, Qatar and Pakistan, "are exchanging messages and maintaining contact" with both parties.