US President Donald Trump has declared that he considers the strategically important Strait of Hormuz to be “American territory” as tensions with Iran continue to disrupt shipping and threaten global energy supplies.
Trump, speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina, also said Iran was interested in reaching an agreement with Washington but was not yet prepared to accept what he considers the right terms.
The comments came amid continued restrictions on commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.
Figures from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations showed that only about 20 per cent of normal commercial traffic was moving through the waterway. The organisation recorded 103 vessels entering and 89 leaving the strait over the previous week.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the US military had helped move more than 15 million barrels of oil and other petroleum products through the waterway on Tuesday. He added that the seven-day average of oil leaving the strait had climbed above eight million barrels per day, although this remained below pre-war levels.
The International Maritime Organization said 68 incidents and 19 seafarer deaths had been recorded in the Strait of Hormuz since Iran began its blockade of the waterway in February.
Iran has strongly rejected the US pressure campaign. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described Washington’s latest sanctions as a “declaration of war” against nations, while Iran’s foreign minister said the US economic strategy would fail.
Meanwhile, fighting and tensions have continued across other parts of the region. Israel carried out another air raid near the Ali al-Tahir heights in southern Lebanon, an area overlooking Nabatieh that Israel says contains Hezbollah military infrastructure.
In Gaza, the United Nations Human Rights Office warned that recent Israeli attacks that killed Palestinians could amount to war crimes. The UN said at least 22 Palestinians, including women and children, were reportedly killed between August 13 and 19.
The regional crisis has also divided international positions. Georgia has refused to join the latest European Union sanctions against Iran, saying its decisions on international affairs would be guided by its national interests.
