President Donald Trump said the United States may seize control of the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz following what he called the defeat of Iran.
Trump made the claim yesterday at a political rally at a police academy in New York State, telling supporters he would soon declare the canal US territory.
“After we finish off Iran, which is being beaten very badly, pretty soon I’m going to be declaring the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States,” Trump told the audience to cheers.
“It is true,” he said.
The statements come amid rising tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and a critical transit point for global energy supplies.
Trump said the United States had essentially blocked Iran’s ports in an effort to punish Iran economically.
“We have the siege. “If we don’t want ships to get thru, they don’t,” he said to the crowd.
This came after the commencement of hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran, with Washington and Tel Aviv declaring their military campaign was aimed at restricting Iran’s nuclear program and reducing its ability to endanger regional security.
Iran has responded with strikes and increased military activity around the Strait of Hormuz, causing fears for the safety of commercial transportation thru the strait.
Considered one of the most strategically vital maritime routes in the world, a substantial proportion of global oil and gas supplies are transported via the strait.
About the Author
