US President Donald Trump has raised the stakes in the ongoing confrontation with Iran by saying the United States could seek to make the Strait of Hormuz American territory once the conflict ends.
Speaking in New York on Friday, Trump said he intended to make such a declaration after the US had "finished defeating" Iran. He did not provide details on what legal or diplomatic process would be used to turn the strategically important international waterway into US territory.
The statement comes as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a prolonged conflict, with negotiations over ending hostilities showing little sign of a breakthrough. Control and access to the Strait of Hormuz have emerged as particularly contentious issues.
Trump's latest comments came alongside indications that Washington intends to intensify economic pressure on Tehran.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the administration is preparing exceptionally severe measures against Iran, with new action expected shortly. The Trump administration has continued to tie its pressure campaign to Iran's nuclear programme while defending the military campaign against the country.
The US has also maintained a naval blockade aimed at restricting Iranian shipping. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said American forces can sustain the blockade for an extended period by rotating naval assets in the region.
Trump had already claimed earlier this week that Washington had "total control" of the waterway. Iran has rejected that assertion.
Tehran has made clear that it does not recognise any US claim over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded to Trump's latest statement by insisting that the waterway remains under Iranian authority and that Tehran would determine when it could be opened or closed.
The competing claims come at a time when commercial traffic through the strait has fallen dramatically. Shipping data showed only a handful of vessels making the passage on Friday, compared with more than 100 vessels typically transiting the route before the conflict.
The reduced traffic has added another layer of uncertainty to an already fragile global energy market.
Trump has also sought to defend the economic consequences of the confrontation for Americans.
Speaking in Garden City, New York, he argued that consumers should be prepared to pay somewhat more for petrol if that helps prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The argument comes as fuel prices in the US have risen sharply. The national average was reported at around $4.08 per gallon on Friday, while oil prices have also climbed amid continuing disruption around Hormuz.
The increase creates a political challenge for Trump, who has previously made lower energy costs an important part of his domestic agenda. Higher fuel prices could also become an issue in the run-up to the November midterm elections.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy corridors. A substantial portion of internationally traded oil normally moves through the narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
The present disruption has therefore had consequences well beyond the immediate US-Iran confrontation. Brent crude rose more than $1 a barrel on Friday and was heading towards a sizeable weekly gain as attacks on vessels and uncertainty over negotiations continued.
With most oil tanker traffic currently halted or severely reduced, prolonged disruption could put additional pressure on energy prices and global supply chains.
Trump's proposal to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory represents a significant escalation in his rhetoric over the waterway.
For now, he has offered no explanation of how such a territorial claim could be implemented. Iran, meanwhile, has categorically rejected the idea and continues to insist that decisions over access to the strait rest with Tehran.
With diplomatic efforts stalled, shipping activity severely disrupted and Washington preparing further economic measures, the dispute over Hormuz has become one of the most consequential fronts in the wider US-Iran confrontation.
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