Trump claims US controls Strait of Hormuz as Iran sets conditions for reopening

Trump asserts full control

President Donald Trump told reporters that the United States has "complete control" over the Strait of Hormuz. "It belongs to us," he said, adding that the Iranians "might do something at some point, and then they will be swept away." Trump said the US was in a very good position and that Iran had no control. He also said he does not trust Iran, accusing Tehran of having "constantly lied" to him. The Islamic Republic, he claimed, was no longer the "tyrant in the Middle East" thanks to the US-led war. A day earlier, Trump had asserted that after mine clearance the strait was navigable again and "100 percent" controlled by the US.

UKMTO reports ongoing threat

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on the evening of August 11 on platform X that attacks and harassment by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the strait were continuing. The British authority described this as evidence that Iran intends to maintain its presence along important transit routes and keep pressure on passing ships. The risk of drifting or uncharted mines persists, UKMTO said. Commercial shipping continues to operate only at reduced levels through the waterway, which remains de facto blocked by Iran.

Iran's conditions for reopening

Iran has not directly responded to Trump's statements. Tehran has previously made reopening the strait conditional on concessions from the US and its allies and announced its intention to charge fees for passage. Mohsen Resai, newly appointed chairman of Iran's National Security Council just days ago, told state broadcaster Press TV that the US must end the war against Iran and its allies in the region and release frozen Iranian funds for the strait to be fully reopened.

As long as the USA does not change its behavior and does not accept Iran's conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened.

War background and oil impact

The warring parties have been struggling for some time over the full reopening of the de facto blocked Strait of Hormuz, through which a large part of oil exports from the Gulf states is handled. Iran's National Security Council has demanded an end to all US threats against the country, the lifting of the sea blockade of Iranian ports, the withdrawal of US forces from the region, and full financial compensation for war damages. All these demands had already been stated by Iran earlier as conditions for negotiations with the US. On Monday, Trump for his part demanded compensation payments from Iran as a condition for further negotiations, writing on his Truth Social platform that Iran should pay for every victim whose death or injury the Tehran power apparatus is responsible for. Before the war, which was started by the US and Israel before the end of February, shipping through the strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman was largely undisturbed. About one fifth of global oil demand was transported through the Strait of Hormuz, which is also central for the transport of liquefied gas and fertilizer. After the war began, Iran brought ship traffic almost to a standstill with its threats and attacks on ships, causing world market prices for oil and gas to rise sharply.