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‘Cannot be seized with a tweet’: Iran rejects Trump’s plan to declare Strait of Hormuz US territory
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The comments came as a 60-day negotiating period between the US and Iran is set to expire on Monday, with no direct talks currently taking place between the two sides.Vessels are seen in the Strait of Hormuz, off the port city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran on August 10, 2026. (Photo by Atta KENARE / AFP) / (AFP)Iran has rejected President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he could declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory, accusing Washington of refusing to accept what Tehran described as its defeat in the conflict.The comments came as a 60-day negotiating period between the US and Iran is set to expire on Monday, with no direct talks currently taking place between the two sides.Iran rejects Trump’s Strait of Hormuz claimIranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the strategic waterway could not be controlled through political declarations or military force.“The strait will only be opened and closed under Iran’s command,” Gharibabadi said in a post on X, calling on the US to “accept the reality of defeat and stop indulging in delusions.”The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy route that carried about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas before the conflict.Gharibabadi's comments came after Trump said he would soon declare the waterway “a territory of the United States” once Washington had secured victory over Iran.Trump says Iran is being ‘very badly defeated’Speaking at a police academy in Nassau County, New York, Trump said Iran was being “very badly defeated” and suggested the US would assert control over the Strait of Hormuz.Trump also urged Americans to accept higher gasoline prices, arguing that the additional cost was necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.Oil markets have remained volatile since the conflict began. Crude futures rose by about $1 a barrel on Friday, while Brent was on track for a weekly gain of around 6%, according to Reuters.No direct US-Iran talks underwayThe dispute comes as the 60-day negotiating period established under a memorandum of understanding signed by Trump and Tehran in mid-June approaches its end.Despite the agreement, little direct negotiation has taken place.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Shahrara News that there were currently “no negotiations” between Tehran and Washington.Qatar and Pakistan have continued to act as intermediaries and exchange messages with Iran, Araghchi said, but he stressed that this did not amount to formal negotiations.“No decision has yet been taken to resume talks with America,” he said.Hormuz remains central to the conflictControl of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the most contentious issues in the conflict. Iran has repeatedly asserted its authority over the waterway, while Washington has demanded the restoration of free passage.The standoff threatens to keep pressure on global energy markets and complicate efforts to reach a broader agreement between Washington and Tehran.Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news. HomeNewsUs News‘Cannot be seized with a tweet’: Iran rejects Trump’s plan to declare Strait of Hormuz US territoryMore
US President Donald Trump-appointed board at the Kennedy Center on Thursday voted in favour of adding his name to the site again, despite a district court ruling against the move. The name change, proposed by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, would also rename the area around the center.A file image shows newly added lettering of U.S. President Donald Trump’s name on the façade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a day after its board announced it would rename the institution the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.(REUTERS)US President Donald Trump-appointed board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday (local time) voted to restore his name to the building.The board also voted to partially close the center for roughly two years during renovations, Reuters reported, citing Democrat Joyce Beatty, who sued the Trump administration over what she called an unlawful name change and the planned closure.Kennedy Center's board to restore Trump's name: What we knowAccording to NBC News, the decision was taken during an almost two-hour Zoom meeting, in which the board voted 20-3 to change the building's name and rename its physical site, as proposed by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Beatty, who was also an ex officio member of the Center's board, said, "In its meeting today, the board voted to change the front of the building’s facade to read 'The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump,' and renamed the physical site 'the President Donald J. Trump Plaza.'"Beatty further said, "This latest development is a transparent effort to circumvent the Court’s ruling, and flies in the face of the statutes that Congress passed," adding, "I will continue to fight for this treasured national monument.”Earlier on Thursday, The New York Times reported that the board approved a resolution "that the center desires to recognize and honor President Trump’s existential and unprecedented contributions to the survival of the center by all legal means."Kennedy Center rename controversy: All you need to knowIn December last year, the Trump administration added the US President's name to the Kennedy Center's facade. However, days later, Trump was sued for adding his name without congressional approval. Beatty, the Ohio Democrat, accused Trump and his appointees of flouting the law to satisfy his "vanity."In May 2026, a district judge ordered the removal of Trump's name, ruling that the Washington venue cannot be renamed without approval from Congress. In the ruling, District Judge Christopher Cooper said, "The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so."Cooper also noted that the board has "wide discretion" to make decisions regarding the Kennedy Center's operations, including potentially shutting it down for renovations after a valid vote.Following the ruling in May, Trump slammed the verdict and hit out at the federal judge, branding Cooper as "an anti-Trump hater." In a Truth Social post, Trump fumed over the ruling and expressed anger over the setback, stating that it was "impossible for me to be treated fairly."Last month, a federal appeals court denied the Trump administration's request to keep the US President's name on the building as it sought to restore it through the courts. The administration had argued that removing Trump's name could hurt fundraising and worsen the center's finances.The decision to add Trump's name to the building and close it for almost two years has sparked outrage from the critics and members of the Kennedy family alike.(with Reuters inputs)About the AuthorSwati GandhiSwati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work
The war between the US and Iran which began on February 28, is on its 167th day on Wednesday, August 13th. While the direct attacks have slowed down, the two sides have failed to reach a credible agreement to end the conflict, which has affected not just the Middle East, but the rest of the world as well.The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which around one-fifth of the world’s crude oil shipments pass, has been Iran’s largest bargaining chip in the conflict so far. Iran closed the Strait in the early days of the war, forcing oil containers to reroute or face the threat of Iranian missiles.In return, the US also imposed a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, forcing Tehran to halt its share of oil shipments.US redirects 59 commercial vesselsThe US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that US forces have redirected 59 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two others as part of efforts to enforce a blockade against Iran.In a post on X, CENTCOM said, "An F/A-18 fighter jet launches from the flight deck of USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) while the ship sails in regional waters and supports enforcement of America's steel wall blockade against Iran."The command added that, "As of August 12, US forces have redirected 59 commercial vessels, disabled 3 and boarded 2 to ensure full compliance with the blockade."'US in total control over Strait of Hormuz'Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump claimed that the US exercised "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, and he "will keep it" amid stalled negotiations with Iran regarding the reopening of the strategic conduit.In a statement on Truth Social, Trump asserted, "The USA has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, 'A WALL OF STEEL,' and there is nothing Iran can do about it."'Claims don't change reality'Iran has rejected Donald Trump's claim, saying the strategic waterway remains blocked and will not be reopened until Tehran's conditions are accepted.The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, in a post on X, said Trump's claims and repeated statements by US officials that the Strait of Hormuz was no longer blocked did not change the situation."Claims and repeated posts by U.S. officials that the Strait of Hormuz is no longer blocked do not change the reality: the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran's conditions are accepted," the PGSA said.
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