President Donald Trump has claimed the US Navy is currently blockading the Strait of Hormuz and intends to formally annex the waterway as US territory. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has dismissed these assertions, insisting that Tehran maintains sole authority over the strategic passage.
The Truth Social Claim of US Territory
President Donald Trump announced via his Truth Social platform that the United States has established "full control" over the Strait of Hormuz. According to the report, Trump stated that the US Navy is enforcing a complete blockade and that he intends to declare the strait US territory shortly after achieving a total victory over Iran. To prepare the American public for the economic fallout of this escalation, Donald Trump urged citizens to accept a slight increase in gasoline prices as the conflict persists.
This aggressive posture coincides with a prolonged military presence in the region. The report notes that Donald Trump recently confirmed the USS Lincoln is being replaced after a record-breaking 250-day deployment, a detail that underscores the sustained US naval commitment to the area despite concerns over crew fatigue.
Gharibabadi’s Rejection of 'Tweet-Based' Sovereignty
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded sharply to the US claims, asserting on the social media platform X that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized through "a tweet, an aircraft carrier, an order, or an election speech." Gharibabadi maintained that the waterway belongs exclusively to Iran and will only be opened or closed at Tehran's command, calling on the United States to admit its defeat and abandon its "fantasies."
This sentiment was echoed by Ibrahim Zolfaqari, a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters—Iran's top military coordinating body.. Zolfaqari stated on Friday that no vessel would be permitted to transit the Strait of Hormuz without the explicit permission and supervision of the Iranian government.
Kpler Data: From 130 Daily Ships to Just Two
The rhetoric of "control" is mirrored by a staggering collapse in actual maritime traffic. Analysis from the ship-tracking firm Kpler reveals that only two vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday: one grain ship entering Iranian waters and one empty dry bulk ship exiting.. A third vessel, an empty liquefied petroleum products tanker, was also spotted sailing into the Gulf.
As Kpler reported, these figures represent a near-total standstill compared to the period before the war, when more than 130 ships typically traversed the strait every day. while some vessels may be bypassing detection by disabling their transponders, the absence of visible crude oil shipments suggests a critical disruption to global energy corridors.
The Collapse of the June Framework Agreement
The current deadlock is a symptom of the disintegration of the June framework agreement between Washington and Tehran. Iranian officials have stated that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as long as the US continues its naval blockade and fails to meet the requirements established in that June deal. With the agreement now described as being "in tatters," there is little evidence that either side is pursuing a diplomatic exit.
Further complicating the path to peace, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi stated, as reported by the Iranian Student News Agency, that no decision has been made to restart negotiations with the US. This suggests that Tehran views the current military standoff as a primary lever of power rather than a precursor to diplomacy.
Who Attacked the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Vessels?
Amidst the competing claims of blockades, the risk to neutral shipping has intensified. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) reported that two of its vessels were attacked while transiting the strait on Thursday evening, and the Emirati state news agency WAM reported a third attack on Friday.
A critical point of uncertainty remains regarding the identity of the attackers. While Iran labels its traffic enforcement as a blockade and the US claims to be enforcing its own,neither side has taken responsibility for the strikes on the Emirati ships. It remains unclear whether these attacks are a result of Iranian enforcement, US naval operations, or a third-party actor exploiting the chaos.
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