Topline
Iran pushed back on President Donald Trump’s insistence that the Strait of Hormuz would become a U.S. territory, accusing Trump of “fanciful delusions” and declaring that the strait will remain under Iran’s control.
Key Facts
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Trump in an X post on Saturday to “once and for all, accept the reality: you have suffered strategic and heavy defeats; the Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian and will remain Iranian,” accusing Trump of “fanciful delusions.”
Gharibabadi’s comments come after Trump said Friday during a rally in New York, “after we finish defeating Iran . . . pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei also appeared to condemn Trump’s comments when he quoted Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov” in a post on X earlier Saturday, writing, “The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others.”
The conflict over who controls the Strait of Hormuz is a major sticking point between the U.S. and Iran in negotiations to end the war—both sides claim they control the strait, while Iran has continued to attack vessels in the key oil waterway and the U.S. has continued blocking ships coming in and out of Iran.
The United Arab Emirates said Saturday Iran attacked a state-owned oil ship in the strait.
Tangent
Trump in his speech on Friday urged Americans to accept higher gas prices as a result of the Iran war, telling the crowd, “a tiny little bit more for your gasoline” is worth it to prevent “a very evil country” from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump made the comments as gas was up 29% from a year ago, to $4.08/gallon, on Friday, according to AAA.
Key Background
Trump’s escalated rhetoric toward Iran Friday is part of a pattern of declaring the war to be nearing an end, only to threaten or launch more attacks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Newsmax on Thursday that more economic penalties against Iran would be imposed soon. Another sign the U.S. is pouring more resources into the war is the USS Abraham Lincoln’s prolonged deployment in the Middle East. The ship left its home port in San Diego in November and has spent more than 200 consecutive days at sea without making a port call. Family members of sailors and lawmakers have raised concerns about deteriorating mental health among sailors on board, dangerous conditions, and lack of food, basic supplies and sanitation, conditions Trump and military officials have denied. Trump on Friday said the deployment hasn’t lasted “nearly long enough” and denied families’ concerns, angering some Democrats who have pressed the administration for answers about the conditions on board and what they’re doing to improve them. The USS George Washington is reportedly en route to replace the ship, though it’s unclear when the sailors on board the USS Lincoln will return home.
further reading
Trump Says USS Lincoln Hasn’t Been Deployed ‘Nearly Long Enough’—Denies Families’ Concerns (Forbes)
Iran Says U.S. Must Meet Demands Before Strait Of Hormuz Reopens (Forbes)
Economic Optimism Falls For First Time In 3 Months—As Republican Sentiment Nears 2-Year Low (Forbes)