Trump Vows Strait of Hormuz US Territory; Iran Rejects Claim, UAE Reports Attacks

Iran rejected President Donald Trump's claim on Saturday that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated on X that the strategic waterway has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian, adding it will only be closed and opened under Iran's command. The United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil giant ADNOC reported on Saturday that one of its vessels came under attack the night before.

Abu Dhabi's Foreign Ministry blamed Tehran, asserting Iran's Revolutionary Guards were engaged in acts of piracy in the strait. This marks the third attack on a UAE state-owned oil vessel this week, following drone strikes on two ADNOC ships on Thursday. President Trump said on Friday he would designate the Strait of Hormuz a US territory pretty soon after the US defeats Iran.

He delivered these remarks at a police academy in New York, also suggesting the strait is already US territory due to the naval blockade. An unnamed White House official later clarified that Trump was joking. The Strait of Hormuz is a global chokepoint through which a fifth of global oil and gas passes. Iran has blocked the passage, using it as a global economy kill switch, while Washington has maintained a military naval blockade against Iran's ports since the war began on February 28.

The memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries in June expires on Sunday. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a top Iranian official, previously outlined conditions for reopening the strait, including an end to the war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq, an end to sanctions, release of frozen assets, and compensation for wartime damage.

The April cease-fire between the United States and Iran collapsed due to attacks in the strait. US Central Command reported American forces have redirected 62 commercial vessels, disabled three, and boarded two since resuming its blockade on July 14. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the US Navy can maintain the blockade indefinitely. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced more economic isolation measures are expected next week.