Tehran defies Trump threat, claims control over Strait of Hormuz

Following U.S. President Donald Trump's statement that he would "soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory, Iranian officials issued a defiant response. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, stated, "This strait will only be closed and opened under Iran's command, and as long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and cease your fanciful delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade." The tensions highlight the strategic importance of the waterway for global energy supplies. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi clarified that message exchanges via Qatar and Pakistan should not be interpreted as negotiations, noting that Tehran has yet to decide on resuming talks with Washington. Separately, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a senior adviser to the IRGC commander, claimed in a PBS interview that Iran is prevailing and that U.S. strategy in the region has failed. Regarding the prolonged public absence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Naqdi attributed it to "security" considerations. In Washington, Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that the Trump administration's top priority is keeping energy affordable for Americans, with preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon listed as the second objective.