Iran rejects ‘delusions’ after Trump says he wants the Strait of Hormuz to be a U.S. territory

Add to Google Iran urges U. S. to ‘accept the reality of defeat’ Get more newsLiveon Add to Google Aug. 15, 2026, AM EDT , Iran — A defiant Iran called on the U. With oil tanker traffic through the strategic strait at a trickle and peace talks between the U. S. and Iran at an impasse, there are few signs that the war, launched on Feb. 28, is close to being over. Vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, this week. / Getty ImagesA 60-day negotiating period intended to hammer out a deal to end the conflict, set when Trump and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June, ends Monday with few direct negotiations having taken place. Speaking Friday at a police academy in Nassau County, New York, Trump said Iran was being “very badly defeated,” and once victory was secured, “pretty soon, I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.” Urging Americans to accept slightly higher gasoline prices, he told the crowd of law enforcement officers that “a tiny little bit more” at the pump was worth the cost of ensuring “a very ⁠evil country” could not have a nuclear weapon, one of his stated reasons for the war. Global oil and gas markets have calmed since prices spiked at the start of the war, but prices are still significantly higher than before the conflict, and they rose again early Friday. Crude oil futures rose $1 a barrel Friday, while benchmark Brent futures were on track for a weekly rise of 6.0%, Reuters reported Saturday. Which economy would benefit the most from end of U. S.-Iran war? 00:0000:00 Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains a trickle of the 130 to 140 vessels that typically traverse it during peacetime. Only two vessels passed through the strait Friday, with no crude oil shipments visible, according to analysis from ship-tracking firm Kpler. While some ships have turned their transponders off and risked crossing undetected, Iran continues to fire on ships attempting to transit despite the U. S. blockade of the Islamic Republic’s ports. A ​bulk carrier was struck in the hull , the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center ‌said Saturday. The organization run -risk areas added that the crew was safe, although no damage assessment had ⁠been reported and the environmental impact was unknown. Vice President JD Vance, who has been tasked with leading negotiations to end the war, told Fox News on Thursday that the No. 1 goal was to “keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country.” He added that “obviously goal No. 2 is ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.” Tehran has repeatedly insisted it has no desire to develop one.