“Not with tweets and aircraft carriers”: Iran sharply responds to Trump

Iran responded to Trump's statement about the Strait of Hormuz. The adviser to the Iranian Foreign Minister, Gharibabadi, said the strait will remain under Tehran's control and threatened to continue the naval blockade. He noted that controlling the strait is impossible with “tweets or aircraft carriers.” Trump had earlier stated his intention to declare the strait US territory after defeating Iran.

On Sunday, Iran responded to US President Donald Trump's statement about the Strait of Hormuz. Kazem Gharibabadi, an adviser to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, wrote on social media that Trump had stated his intention to declare the strait part of US territory after Iran's defeat. According to the Iranian official, in practice, controlling the strait is impossible either through social media statements or aircraft carriers. He also said that Iran is not afraid of American threats, and that the strait will remain under Tehran's exclusive control, with only Iran deciding whether to open or close it. Gharibabadi threatened the US with a continued naval blockade and called on Washington to recognize the current situation. Tehran's statement was a response to Trump's remarks made on Tuesday in New York, where he said he intended to soon declare the strait US territory after completing the victory over Iran. Trump also claimed that the US already controls the strait thanks to its military and the ongoing blockade. Thus, the statements from Washington and Tehran demonstrate opposing positions regarding control over one of the key maritime routes.