Trump says he will hit Iran hard economically, will soon declare Hormuz ‘US territory’

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States will impose severe economic pressure on Iran as Washington and Tehran struggle to reach a deal to end their nearly six-month conflict. The comments followed a statement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who warned of unprecedented measures against Tehran starting next week. During a political rally in New York, Trump also stated he would 'soon' declare the Strait of Hormuz to be US territory, though the seriousness of the remark remained unclear.

In response, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that Tehran would not be intimidated by threats or shows of force, asserting that the Strait of Hormuz would only be opened or closed under Iranian authority. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted that no decision had been made to resume negotiations with the US, despite ongoing communication through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz appeared to stall on Friday following attacks on two more vessels. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company reported that two of its tankers were attacked while transiting the strait on Thursday evening. The UAE government blamed Iran, which did not immediately comment. Ship tracking data indicates that transit through the vital waterway has dropped significantly compared to pre-war levels.

Trump urged Americans to accept higher gasoline prices as the cost of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, stating he would never apologize for attacking the country. The rising fuel costs present a growing political risk for the administration ahead of the November midterm elections, with Brent crude approaching $90 a barrel.

Additionally, Trump dismissed concerns regarding the living conditions and mental health of service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for nine months. While US media reports have cited deteriorating conditions and suicide attempts among the crew, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao defended the deployment, stating the mission demanded it and rejecting claims that sailors were being treated as victims.