Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Trump vows to declare Strait of Hormuz US territory
The United States and Iran are having a big fight that has lasted almost six months.
President Donald Trump said that, once America defeats Iran, he will declare the Strait of Hormuz to be part of the United States.
The Strait of Hormuz is a very important waterway because about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas travels through it.
Iran's leaders rejected the idea and said the strait is Iranian and cannot be taken by a tweet, a ship, or an order.
Because of the fighting, oil prices have gone up, and petrol in the United States now costs about four dollars a gallon.
President Trump told Americans they should accept paying a little more for petrol so Iran cannot get a nuclear weapon.
Many Americans are upset about the higher fuel prices, and polls show most people do not approve of his decisions on Iran.
The two countries have not agreed on a peace deal, and their talks are still stuck.
Iran says the waterway will only open or close when Iran says so.
President Donald Trump said he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory after what he called Iran's defeat, without detailing the legal or military steps.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected the claim, saying the strait "cannot be seized by tweet" and has been, is, and will remain Iranian.
Oil prices rose after new tanker attacks and stalled ceasefire talks, with Brent crude settling at $88.52 a barrel and WTI at $82.40.
Trump asked Americans to accept slightly higher petrol prices as the cost of stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, saying he will never apologise.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said new economic measures against Iran, "unlike anything seen before," could come as soon as next week.
- Who
- US President Donald Trump; Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi; US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
- What
- Trump said he will declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory after defeating Iran; Iran rejected the claim, and oil prices rose amid new tanker attacks and stalled ceasefire talks.
- When
- Mid-August 2026, nearly six months after the conflict between the US and Iran began on February 28
- Where
- The Strait of Hormuz, the waterway between Oman and Iran; Trump spoke at a rally in Nassau County, New York, and on Fox News
- Why
- The conflict centres on Iran's nuclear programme and control of a waterway carrying about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas shipments.
Iran and critics
Trump administration
Control of the Strait of Hormuz
Iran and critics
Iran says the strait has been, is, and will remain Iranian and will only be closed and opened under Iran's command; Gharibabadi said it 'cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech.'
Trump administration
Trump says the US has 'total control' of the waterway and will declare the strait a US territory after Iran is defeated, though he gave no details on the legal or military steps such a move would require.
Higher fuel prices
Iran and critics
Democrats are using higher petrol prices as an issue ahead of the November midterm elections, and a CNN poll found just 21% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of gas prices.
Trump administration
Trump says slightly higher petrol prices are the price of stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, saying 'I'll never apologise. I did the right thing.'
State of the peace talks
Iran and critics
Araghchi said the memorandum of understanding signed in Islamabad marked the end of the war, not a temporary ceasefire, accused the US of breaking it, and said there was no 60-day truce to extend.
Trump administration
Trump told Axios that the US was 'low-keying' talks and 'semi-negotiating' with Iran, while Washington plans new economic measures 'unlike anything seen before' against Iran.
- Brent crude settlement
- $88.52 per barrel, up $1.45
- US WTI crude settlement
- $82.40 per barrel, up $1.15
- US average petrol price
- About $4 per gallon ($4.07 national average)
- Hormuz share of global oil and gas shipments
- About one-fifth; nearly 34% of global crude oil trade in 2025
- Shipping traffic through Hormuz
- 17% of pre-conflict average in the past week (151 ships), per UKMTO
- CNN poll on Trump's Iran handling
- 28% approval; 67% say his military decisions hurt the US
- New US economic measures
- Could come as soon as next week, per US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
- Mediators between the US and Iran
- Qatar and Pakistan
