Trump: Hormuz.. 'New American Land'

Washington – Agencies: US President Donald Trump once again threatened to seize the Strait of Hormuz and turn it into American territory, while Iran reiterated its conditions for opening the strategic waterway. (See page 12.) In remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, “I just think it’s a great idea,” noting that the US blockade controls the Strait of Hormuz. He added, “I liked the idea of declaring it American land.” Hours after his comment, the US president posted an image of the Strait of Hormuz with the caption “New American Land.”

Meanwhile, Trump announced that the United States does not seek to extend the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran, as the deadline for reaching a final agreement between the two countries expires, without clarifying whether his administration will propose an alternative negotiating framework or move to a new phase of economic and military pressure.

On his part, Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said in an interview with Fox News that Washington’s talks with various factions within the Iranian government have become more serious than ever, although they have not yet led to an understanding between the two sides.

For its part, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf yesterday outlined a list of demands he said the United States must meet before reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The official Iranian news agency, IRNA, quoted Qalibaf as stating that Tehran’s conditions are: lifting the US blockade and releasing frozen assets, removing sanctions imposed on Iranian oil, and ending all military threats and operations.