Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz have sharpened, with Iran now claiming direct control over the strategically vital waterway, just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump made the opposite claim on his Truth Social platform, saying the U.S. had "total control" of the strait.
Iran's Claim on the Strait
According to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, Hossein Taeb, head of Iran's Basij paramilitary unit, said the Strait of Hormuz is "under Iran's control and management." The statement directly contradicts Trump's remarks from the day before, in which he wrote that the U.S. Navy had established a blockade and intended to "keep" control of the strait.
Trump's Preferred Strategy: Economic Pressure Over Strikes
Despite his combative rhetoric, Trump has signalled he currently favours economic pressure over new military action. Speaking to Axios by phone, he described the U.S. approach as "low-keying it," adding, "We're only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money." He has, however, kept the option of striking Tehran on the table even while emphasising sanctions as the primary lever for now.
International Condemnation Over Executions
Separately, more than 30 countries, including France, Britain, and Canada, along with the EU's top diplomat, issued a joint statement condemning Iran's use of capital punishment against protesters, saying the executions were being used to "silence dissent." The statement read in part: "The use of capital punishment to silence dissent, intimidate communities, and punish individuals exercising their human rights can never be justified."
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi pushed back sharply, accusing France and the other signatories of "blatant, embarrassing" hypocrisy, arguing their support for Israel's actions in Gaza and against Iran undermined their standing to criticise Tehran on human rights.
Other Developments in the Region
Several other threads are unfolding alongside the Hormuz standoff:
- A Washington Post report revealed that U.S. intelligence officials had only "low confidence" in an alleged assassination threat against Trump, reportedly relayed by Israel, before he was secretly moved to a different aircraft while departing Turkey after last month's NATO Summit.
- Oman's environment authority confirmed that oil leaking from the grounded tanker Caroline Bezengi, a sanctioned vessel believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet," has now reached its mainland coastline after already threatening a nearby island. No party has claimed responsibility for the tanker's June explosion.
- Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz visited southern Lebanon and vowed to keep troops in a designated "security zone" there, as well as in Syria and Gaza, despite a U.S.-brokered framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon that includes Hezbollah's disarmament and a phased Israeli withdrawal. New talks between Israel and Lebanon are planned for early September in Rome.
FAQs
Q1. What are Iran and the U.S. each claiming about the Strait of Hormuz?
Iran says the strait is under its "control and management," while President Trump has claimed the U.S. has "total control" and intends to keep it.
Q2. Why are more than 30 countries condemning Iran?
They issued a joint statement condemning Iran's use of capital punishment against protesters, calling it an attempt to silence dissent.
Q3. What is Israel's current military posture in the region?
Defence Minister Israel Katz has said troops will remain in a security zone in southern Lebanon, as well as in Syria and Gaza, despite a U.S.-brokered Israel-Lebanon framework deal.