Iran’s new security chief Mohsen Rezaei on Tuesday (August 18) mocked US President Donald Trump’s claims of control over the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington had failed to fully reopen the crucial waterway despite threatening to assert dominance over it.
“The gap between America’s inability to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and its claim to own it is greater than the 7,000-mile distance between Washington and the Strait itself,” Rezaei said in a post on X.
“Welcome to the post-American order in the Persian Gulf,” he added.
Rezaei accompanied his message with a map showing a line between Washington and the Strait of Hormuz under the caption, “Some dreams are too far from reality.”
The comments came after Trump claimed that the Strait of Hormuz was “open and operating” and said a US naval blockade of Iranian ports remained in force.
Trump claims US control over Hormuz
Trump on Tuesday said there were no talks or scheduled negotiations with Iran, contradicting comments by his son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner, who had said the two sides were engaged in “very positive and active conversations.”
“There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He also said the US naval blockade remained in effect and claimed that all mines in the waterway had been removed or detonated.
Earlier, Trump posted a map labeling the Strait of Hormuz as “NEW U.S. Territory,” reinforcing his repeated claims that Washington has control over the strategic waterway.
The statements have been met with strong opposition from Tehran, which maintains that Iran will determine when and under what conditions the strait is reopened.
Iran refuses to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Iranian officials have linked the reopening of the waterway to a series of demands from Washington.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the strait would remain closed until the US fulfills commitments made under a memorandum of understanding.
Tehran has demanded that Washington:
-End the blockade of Iranian ports
-Lift oil sanctions
-Release frozen Iranian assets
-End US military operations
-Pay compensation for war-related damage
Ghalibaf said Iran would not reopen the waterway until those conditions were met.
The standoff has placed the Strait of Hormuz at the center of the wider conflict between the US and Iran.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz important?
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Before the war, roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies passed through the waterway.
Any prolonged disruption could put pressure on global energy supplies and push up oil prices, with wider consequences for inflation and consumers.
Iran’s effective closure of the strait has already sharply reduced maritime traffic through the waterway.
US-Iran diplomacy remains uncertain
Diplomatic efforts appear to have stalled after a 60-day negotiating period between Washington and Tehran ended on August 17.
Qatar, which has played a role as a mediator, said an agreement between Iran and Oman over management of the Strait of Hormuz could help create conditions for negotiations to resume.
Iran and Oman have been discussing arrangements for managing traffic through the waterway, but the United States has not been directly involved in those talks.
Trump faces pressure over prolonged conflict
The standoff comes as the conflict approaches its sixth month and continues to affect global energy markets.
The war has also contributed to higher prices for US consumers, creating political pressure on Trump ahead of the November midterm elections.
