Washington, Aug. 18 (SANA) US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington had no negotiations planned with Iran, while claiming the Strait of Hormuz remained open despite limited shipping traffic and reports of an attack on a vessel leaving the strategic waterway.
Trump also threatened military action against Oman as Muscat sought an agreement with Tehran to manage shipping through the strait, two regional officials said. Iran maintains that the waterway will not fully reopen until the United States meets its conditions.
Oman and Iran have said they are close to an agreement, but US officials have raised objections to parts of the proposed arrangement. Washington reportedly opposes joint Iranian-Omani management of the strait’s exit route and a plan to collect voluntary fees from passing ships, even if the funds are used for maritime security and environmental protection.
Trump said on social media that a US blockade of Iranian ports remained in force, while asserting that naval mines had been removed and commercial traffic could pass safely. He also published a map depicting the Strait of Hormuz as US territory.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected Trump’s claim and said Tehran would challenge what he described as the US president’s “delusion” regarding the strait.
The tensions came as a projectile reportedly struck a vessel in the waterway. Separately, Iran-aligned Houthi forces said they had launched drones at an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia. The extent of any damage was not immediately clear.
A/Dh
