President Donald Trump has said the United States would take control of the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with Iran, arguing that Washington should be compensated for safeguarding one of the world's most critical maritime routes. Around one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments pass through the strait, making it a vital corridor for international energy trade.
In a phone interview with Fox News, Trump said the US would serve as the "guardian" of the Strait of Hormuz and should receive payment for ensuring the safe movement of commercial shipping.
"We're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it. We'll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we'll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that," Trump said.
His remarks came as Washington and Tehran exchanged conflicting claims over control of the Strait of Hormuz following renewed military confrontations in the Gulf. Iran maintained that it holds authority over the strategic waterway, while the US insisted that international navigation rights guarantee continued access for commercial vessels.
Connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, the Strait of Hormuz handles nearly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas exports. Its strategic importance means that any disruption to shipping can trigger spikes in global energy prices.
IRAN REJECTS US ROLE IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Iran swiftly dismissed Trump's proposal, with the country's top joint military command declaring that it would not permit the United States to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
The military warned that any attempt by US forces to pass through the strait without Iran's approval would be met with a "strong" response. It also cautioned neighbouring countries that any cooperation with Washington would be viewed as an act of war against Iran. The statement added that if the conflict widened, it would spread across the region, placing responsibility on the US and its allies.
TRUMP CRITICISES IRAN
During the interview, Trump accused Iran of repeatedly shifting its stance during negotiations and claimed previous US administrations had allowed Tehran to strengthen its position.
"Yesterday, they had an 11-hour meeting....They can't settle on one sentence in one minute," he said.
"Everything was agreed to yesterday and then they leave the room and call back and say, 'We had to make a couple of changes.' Changes? We're not going to make changes. They're professional negotiators. That's all they are."
Trump also criticised former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, accusing them of failing to effectively deal with Iran. He again condemned the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), arguing that it empowered Tehran instead of restricting its nuclear programme.
"They've been tapping people along for 47 years. Every president got tapped along. They didn't do anything and Iran became more and more powerful. This should have been done 47 years ago."
"I held them down. I stopped them. I terminated the Iran nuclear deal. That agreement is one of the worst agreements ever signed by this country," he added.
TRUMP DEFENDS SOLEIMANI STRIKE
Trump also defended the 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, calling him "a brilliant but mad general."
"Had I not killed Khomeini, who was a brilliant but mad general, he was a crazy. I killed Soleimani. Soleimani was like one of the really, really bad people in this whole thing. But he was good at what he did. He was a very brilliant general," Trump said.
He further claimed that recent US military operations had prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
"I'll tell you, had I not attacked with the B-2 bombers, they would have a nuclear weapon. And right now the Middle East in its current form would not exist."
Meanwhile, US and Iranian forces exchanged intense missile and drone strikes over the weekend and into Monday. Tehran said it had targeted US military facilities across the Gulf and continued to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, contributing to a rise in global oil prices.
