- Trump claimed the US has total control over the Strait of Hormuz and said 'I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT,' calling the naval blockade 'A WALL OF STEEL.'
- Trump justified the war by saying that paying 'a tiny little bit more for your gasoline' is worth preventing 'a very evil country' from having a nuclear weapon.
- An unnamed White House official later clarified that Trump was joking, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
- Iran's military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari rejected US claims of normal shipping, stating that the strait is under Iran's complete control.
- Gharibabadi asserted that the Strait of Hormuz 'cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech.'
- Gharibabadi warned that Iran will continue the blockade until the US accepts defeat, stating: 'Once and for all, accept the reality: up to this point, you have suffered strategic and heavy defeats... As long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and cease your fanciful delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade.'
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed at the start of the Middle East war, will be controlled solely by Iran. He stated, "The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech," in response to President Trump's remarks about declaring the strait US territory.
Trump, during a rally, claimed that after defeating Iran, he would soon declare the strait part of the United States, adding, "I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT," and referred to the US naval blockade as a 'WALL OF STEEL.' However, an unnamed White House official later clarified that Trump was joking.
Iran's military command spokesperson, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, dismissed US claims of normal shipping through the strait as "lies and fabrications," asserting that no commercial vessel can pass without Iranian oversight. He reiterated that the strait remains under Iran's complete control, stating, "no commercial ship or tanker without the permission and supervision of the powerful Iranian armed forces has had and will have the possibility of safe passage through this strait."
Gharibabadi concluded that as long as the US does not accept its defeats, Iran will continue to enforce its blockade, highlighting the ongoing tensions in the region.
“Iran's military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari rejected US claims of normal shipping, asserting the strait is under Iran's complete control and no ship can pass without permission. An unnamed White House official later clarified that Trump was joking, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.”
