Washington DC (US), August 23, 2026, BNN Web Staff: Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated further on Sunday after US President Donald Trump shared a graphic portraying the strategically important Strait of Hormuz as “NEW US Territory”, while Tehran maintained that the key maritime passage would remain closed unless Washington changes its position.
Trump shared the graphic on Truth Social, repeating a move he had made earlier on August 18. His latest post comes amid an increasingly sharp confrontation between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz and US economic pressure on Iran.
Trump had earlier suggested that the United States could seek to claim control over the waterway. Speaking at a police academy event on Long Island on August 14, he said he would “pretty soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.
Iran Rejects US Territorial Claims
Iran has strongly rejected the suggestion of any US territorial claim over the strategic waterway.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, criticised Trump’s remarks, arguing that Washington’s inability to reopen the Strait contrasted sharply with its claims over the route.
Rezaei also warned neighbouring countries against cooperating with Washington’s economic measures against Tehran.
“We are telling all nearby countries not to join the US economic war, otherwise we will consider them as enemies,” he said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also rejected the planned US sanctions, saying that secondary sanctions had no basis in international law.
Washington Prepares Fresh Sanctions
The latest escalation comes as the United States prepares additional economic restrictions targeting Iran.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to outline what Washington has described as some of the toughest sanctions against Tehran, while urging China to cooperate with the US over Iranian oil shipments.
Iran has condemned the planned measures, warning that they could further strain its economy and affect countries that maintain trade ties with Tehran, particularly China, a major buyer of Iranian crude.
Hormuz Closure Disrupts Energy Flows
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation. Iran has maintained that the passage is closed and warned of countermeasures against tanker traffic that it considers unauthorised.
The disruption has affected international energy shipments through one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.
Trump has repeatedly warned other countries against providing Iran with what he describes as an economic “lifeline” and has insisted that Tehran must accept what Washington considers an acceptable agreement.
At the same time, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for diplomatic engagement to resolve the confrontation, saying Iran should seek an end to the conflict while protecting its national strength and dignity.
With Washington intensifying economic pressure and Tehran maintaining its position on the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway remains a major flashpoint in the worsening US-Iran confrontation.
