Kathrine Frich
Trump quickly dismissed the threat from Iranian military leaders.
Tensions across the Middle East have simmered for months.
As a key global trade bottleneck remains locked down, the verbal war between Washington and Tehran has taken a sudden and personal turn.
Chilling physical threat
Donald Trump sparked fresh anger during a speech in New York. He claimed he would soon designate the strategic waterway as official American territory.
The narrow passage handles nearly twenty percent of all seaborne oil shipments. It remains one of the world’s most critical trade routes.
Iranian Major General Amir Hatami responded with a fierce warning on state media according to Daily Express.
“Joking about such remarks is a major mistake, because this is Iran, and it has defenders who will break your legs,” Hatami said. He added that American forces had been “effectively driven out” from local waters.
Standstill in the strait
The sharp exchange comes as a sixty day ceasefire officially expires.
Despite the temporary agreement, shipping through the channel has ground to a halt following recent tanker attacks. Traffic is virtually frozen.
Only five commodity vessels passed through on Saturday. By Sunday, the number dropped to zero.
Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that Tehran will not be intimidated. He insisted his nation controls access to the strait.
Brushing off warnings
Trump quickly dismissed the threat from Iranian military leaders. He called their statements “their usual blather” on social media.
Writing on Truth Social, the president maintained that Washington holds the upper hand.
“Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished,” Trump posted.
He argued that the United States is working to resolve long standing regional friction, adding, “Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades.”
Sources: Express, IRIB, Truth Social
