Live Updates: Tehran says Strait of Hormuz "under Iran's control" after Trump threatens U.S. might "keep it"

Strait of Hormuz Remains Focus of U.S.-Iran Statements as Officials Exchange Claims on Control

Updated August 13, 2026

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Thursday that the United States has miscalculated regarding the Strait of Hormuz. He wrote on X that prior U.S. intelligence assessments had not anticipated the course of the war that began on February 28, and that recent comments on the strait represented a further error. Iranian officials responded to President Trump’s Wednesday post on Truth Social, in which he stated the United States has “total control” over the waterway and added, “I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT.”

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, established after the war began to manage transit and collect tolls, issued a statement on X rejecting U.S. assertions that the strait is no longer blocked. The authority said transit would remain restricted until Iranian conditions are met. Data from Kpler showed eight vessels transited the strait on Tuesday, below the recent 10-day average of approximately 12 and the lowest daily total since August 5.

Hossein Taeb, head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary unit, said the strait is “under Iran’s control and management,” according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. The remarks followed Trump’s claim that a U.S. naval blockade, described by the president as a “WALL OF STEEL,” prevented Iranian interference. The blockade was put in place after the February 28 start of hostilities.

Iran’s Department of Environment reported oil along parts of Qeshm Island’s coastline. Cleanup operations began, and authorities identified a foreign bulk carrier as the apparent source. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X that responsibility for compensation rests with parties benefiting from shipping through the strait. He stated that environmental degradation in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman has caused trillions of dollars in damage to Iran’s coastal areas over recent decades and asked whether consuming nations, insurers, or parties to military operations bear the cost.

Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao requesting information on conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The letter cited reports of food shortages, plumbing failures, and mental health issues during a deployment exceeding 250 days, with more than 200 consecutive days at sea. A Navy official stated that supply priorities in the contested environment focused on mission-critical items first, and that the ship maintains access to clean water, functional air conditioning, and adequate meals.

More than 30 countries, including France, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, and Germany, along with the European Union’s top diplomat, issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s use of capital punishment. The statement said executions of protesters are intended to silence dissent and called for an immediate end to the death penalty and release of those arbitrarily detained. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on X that countries criticizing Iran should cease lecturing on human rights while supporting actions against Iran and in Gaza. The statement follows a reported increase in executions after nationwide protests earlier in the year and the February outbreak of the Middle East war.

U.S. and Turkish intelligence detected indications of an Iranian plot to target Air Force One with a surface-to-air missile one day before President Trump’s July 8 departure from the NATO summit in Ankara. The president had arrived aboard a Boeing 747 provided by Qatar and used an older support aircraft for the return. After additional checks found no launch team, the decision was made to change aircraft using a catering truck. Officials noted an ongoing threat to the president as the war approaches the six-month mark.

Traffic through the strait has declined in recent weeks amid the restrictions and military activity that followed the February 28 start of the war. Iranian statements have consistently tied reopening to acceptance of Tehran’s conditions, while U.S. statements have described the blockade as effective.