A wave of controversy has swept the world following Donald Trump's threats to annex the Strait of Hormuz, amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran and Iran's refusal to make any concessions regarding its control of the vital waterway.
A senior White House official commented on President Trump's remarks yesterday about annexing the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump is joking!!
The official said that President Trump "was joking" when he said he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz American territory.
The Wall Street Journal quoted the unnamed official as saying that Trump made the statement "in jest."
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On Friday, Trump said he would "soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz American territory after defeating Iran.
Trump and the Occupation of the Strait of Hormuz
Trump has consistently claimed that the vital waterway for global energy supplies, which Tehran closed at the start of the war, is under American control, a claim Tehran denies.
During a political rally at a police academy in New York State, Trump said jokingly, "After we finish defeating Iran, which is suffering a very severe defeat, I will very soon declare the Strait of Hormuz to be American territory. It's true."
In response to Trump, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi asserted in a post on the X platform on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz "was, is, and will remain Iranian," adding that this waterway "will not be opened or closed except by order of Iran."
The War Between America and Iran
It is worth noting that the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28th under several declared pretexts, most notably preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and destroying its military capabilities.
In response, Tehran targeted countries in the region and disrupted navigation in the vital Strait of Hormuz, causing market turmoil and driving up fuel prices.
Trump told a crowd of supporters and police officers: "We are imposing a blockade (on Iranian ports). No ship will pass through unless we want it to."
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