Bandar Abbas, Iran – August 10: Two young men sit on the shoreline as a ship is seen anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran, on August 10, 2026. (Photo by Ali Saidi/Getty Images)
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Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claims that the Strait of Hormuz will soon become US territory, as the country appears no closer to resuming negotiations with Iran after a ship was reportedly hit in the crucial waterway.
“The Strait of Hormuz has always belonged to Iran, has belonged to Iran, and will always belong to Iran. This strait will only be closed and opened under Iranian command,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Ghalibabadi said in a post on the X news agency late Friday. “The Strait of Hormuz cannot be captured by tweets, aircraft carriers, orders or election speeches.”
Earlier, President Trump claimed that after the United States’ victory over Iran, “we will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz as American territory.”
President Trump, known for quoting the phrase “to the victor is the spoils,” suggested the United States might impose tolls on the strait after the conflict ends, but later dropped the idea. The strait was an open international toll waterway until the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, starting the war.
Iran’s foreign minister was quoted as saying that there was “no such thing as a ceasefire” between the two countries.
“At the moment there are no negotiations between us and the United States,” Iranian news outlet Shahrah News quoted Seed Abbas Araghchi as saying early Saturday. “Qatar and Pakistan have exchanged messages between the parties and are in touch with us, but this does not mean negotiations.”
Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO), a Royal Navy-backed organization, said on Saturday that it had received a verified report that the bulk carrier had been “hit by an unknown projectile which struck the ship’s hull.”
Since the breakdown of an interim ceasefire in June, ships in the strait have repeatedly come under fire from Iranian projectiles, and the United States has struck Iranian targets as part of a blockade of Iranian ports.
Gas’s “a little more”
Amid the military and diplomatic impasse, energy prices remain elevated compared to pre-war levels.
President Trump said Friday that Americans should tolerate modest increases in fuel prices while the United States punishes Iran.
“So remember, when you pay a little bit more for gas, you’re doing it to make sure that a really nefarious country, the number one sponsor of terrorism in the world, can’t be like that,” Trump said in his speech.
“We don’t want them to have nuclear weapons, so remember, when you have to pay a little more, it’s going to be $4,” Trump said.
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – AUGUST 14: U.S. President Donald Trump departs after speaking at the David S. Mack Training and Information Center in Garden City, New York, on August 14, 2026. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
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The average price of a gallon of gas nationwide on Saturday was $4.07, higher than the average price of $3.15 a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association.
The United States also maintains a strict sanctions regime against Iran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States would apply “unprecedented economic measures against Iran.”
“This will be a combination of economic isolation like the world has never seen before and a continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz that will prevent goods from entering and exiting Iranian ports,” Bessent said in a Newsmax interview Thursday night, without elaborating further.
indefinite naval blockade
Bessent’s comments came as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly said late Thursday that the military could continue its naval blockade against Iran “indefinitely.” Hegseth told reporters that the Navy “will continue to rotate ships in and out, as we have in the past.”
The US aircraft carrier USS George Washington is headed to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed to the Middle East for more than 250 days, according to media reports. Its deployment was expected to end in May.
The George Washington Strike Group departed Vietnam on August 12, the Navy said in a statement.
Mr. Hegseth claimed that reports about poor conditions on board the Lincoln, including food shortages, low morale, and even attempts by sailors to jump, were “totally misrepresented.”
Following Mr. Hegseth’s comments, Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) told X that he sent a letter to Mr. Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Kao expressing grave concerns about the situation aboard the Lincoln.
“Reports from military families and loved ones about conditions aboard the USS Lincoln are completely unacceptable. Reports include concerns about moldy showers, broken toilets, lack of hot water, lack of access to fresh food, and shortages of supplies,” the letter said.
Sailors and Marines are also said to have an “overwhelming workload,” which contributes to “extreme fatigue and burnout.”
In a post on X, U.S. Central Command said reports that there was a scuffle aboard the aircraft carrier were false and that no service members were killed.
This came after Iranian media reported on Tuesday that seven U.S. Navy personnel were killed and several others injured in a “violent collision” aboard the Lincoln.
—CNBC’s Kevin Breuninger and Lim Hui Jie contributed to this report.
