Trump Claims Total US Control of Strait of Hormuz, Iran Counters

President Donald Trump stated this week that the United States holds total control over the Strait of Hormuz and suggested it might retain that position, countering Iranian claims that the waterway remains under Tehran's management. The exchange comes amid ongoing friction following earlier strikes and a temporary ceasefire that has since frayed.

Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that American forces effectively dominate the passage, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas once moved before hostilities began. Iranian officials responded by asserting their own authority. Hossein Taeb, head of the Basij paramilitary unit, told state-linked media that the strait operates under Islamic Republic control despite US efforts to disrupt regional influence. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed that Washington miscalculates the balance of power there.

The dispute traces to February, when US and Israeli actions targeted Iranian sites, prompting Tehran to restrict access. A naval blockade followed, with Washington committing to safeguard traffic for non-Iranian ports. An interim agreement in June aimed to restore navigation but collapsed after Iran resumed limited strikes on vessels, leading to renewed US operations against southern Iranian provinces.

Iran has paired its control claims with a list of six demands for reopening the strait, including $300 billion in US reparations and a seven percent transit fee on cargo value. Such conditions have drawn little serious consideration in Washington, where officials view them as detached from the military and economic realities on the ground. Past patterns show similar bargaining tactics from Tehran that produced no concessions once US pressure intensified.

Separately, reports indicate Trump has discussed Iranian assassination threats with increasing frequency. Intelligence prompted a discreet switch from Air Force One to a smaller aircraft via a catering truck during a recent trip, avoiding potential missile risks. Anti-aircraft and anti-drone systems now protect his New Jersey and Florida properties, upgrades absent in his prior term. The Secret Service handles a record volume of threats, up 40 percent from last year.

These developments reflect consistent incentives in the conflict. Iranian leadership has faced internal strains and external constraints that limit its leverage, yet continues public posturing on strategic routes and compensation. US actions, by contrast, have focused on degrading specific capabilities rather than negotiating from positions of weakness. The pattern suggests that demands for large transfers or fees will encounter resistance absent major shifts in naval or air dominance.

More than 30 nations have separately condemned Iran's use of executions against protesters, describing the practice as an effort to suppress dissent. Those statements underscore broader governance challenges inside the country that coincide with its external confrontations.