Iran’s deputy foreign minister rejects Trump claim about Strait of Hormuz, citing sovereignty as reports circulate of another ship strike

Iran’s deputy foreign minister on Aug. 15 dismissed claims attributed to President Trump that the Strait of Hormuz would soon become U.S. territory, warning that the waterway would remain under Iranian sovereignty. Speaking as Iran’s diplomatic messaging escalated around control of the strategic channel, the deputy foreign minister said, according to CNBC, that the Strait of Hormuz “will remain Iranian,” directly rebutting the U.S. claim.

The Trump assertion, as described by CNBC, would effectively reinterpret the governance of one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, which links the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and carries a large share of global oil and shipping traffic. The claim has heightened concern among regional and international observers because the strait’s legal and operational status affects commercial shipping, energy markets, and security planning for transit vessels.

CNBC reported that the Iranian rejection also arrived amid accounts in the region about renewed maritime violence. The report cited claims of another ship being struck in the Strait of Hormuz area, adding to a pattern of incidents that have raised questions about safety for commercial traffic and the risk of wider confrontation in a heavily militarized corridor.

Iran’s response frames the issue as one of sovereignty and jurisdiction rather than a narrow incident-by-incident dispute. In that context, Iran’s deputy foreign minister’s statement served as both a rebuttal to U.S. messaging and a warning about enforcement expectations, particularly for any steps that would attempt to alter how transit is policed through the strait.

While CNBC did not provide details in its summary about the identity of the struck vessel or the precise circumstances of the incident, it placed the diplomatic exchange alongside the reported attack. That combination matters because it links higher-level legal claims to immediate security conditions for mariners and shipping companies operating routes through the chokepoint.

The immediate next steps are likely to include clarification by U.S. officials on the basis for any assertion of territorial or jurisdictional change, as well as additional confirmation of the reported strike through transport authorities, maritime tracking systems, or official statements by governments and vessel operators. For Iran, the deputy foreign minister’s messaging indicates continued insistence that Iran retains primary authority over the strait’s status.

For companies and crews, the practical effect of the dispute may be reflected in transit risk assessments, insurance calculations, and potential changes to routing or security arrangements. With the Strait of Hormuz central to energy exports and international trade, even incremental shifts in security conditions can translate into near-term operational and financial consequences for shipping and downstream consumers.