Head of Iran's judiciary Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i and Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected President Trump's declaration that the U.S. will claim the Strait of Hormuz as American territory. Mohseni-Eje'i called Trump's remarks 'delusions' and asserted that Iran controls the waterway. Gharibabadi warned that the strait 'was Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian,' and that it will open or close only at Tehran's command.
The defiant statements from Iran's judiciary head and deputy foreign minister came Saturday night in response to President Donald Trump's declaration that the United States intends to declare the Strait of Hormuz as American territory. The Strait, a vital chokepoint for global oil shipments, has been at the center of an escalating war of words between Washington and Tehran.
As The Zioneer has previously reported, Trump has repeatedly asserted U.S. control over the waterway and warned Iran against closing it. In June, Trump said the U.S. 'defeated the Islamic Republic regime' and claimed the strait was open. Earlier this month, he stated the strait was under 'full U.S. control' and that nothing passes to Iran without a deal. Iran, through state media and IRGC officials, has consistently rejected these claims and threatened to enforce its own closure. In August, Iranian state TV stated the strait would not reopen due to a tweet, and a senior IRGC official threatened to attack U.S. aircraft carriers in the area.
Saturday's responses represent some of the most senior-level rejections of Trump's territorial declaration, coming directly from the head of the judiciary and a senior foreign ministry official. The rhetoric signals that Tehran remains determined to assert its claimed sovereignty over the waterway, even as the Trump administration continues to pressure Iran economically and militarily.
2 developments
- DevelopingIranian deputy foreign minister: Strait of Hormuz reopening is only partial
- StrongGhalibaf warns US: Strikes will be met with strikes, Strait of Hormuz only on Iranian terms
- StrongIranian army spokesman says Strait of Hormuz will only reopen if Iran's rights are respected
- DevelopingIranian Deputy FM: Temporary Strait of Hormuz lanes to close, new route agreed, US signals readiness
Source and signal
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