Trump claims Strait of Hormuz as U.S. territory, Iran lashes out

President Donald Trump posted a graphic on Tuesday that designated the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. territory, a gesture that provoked a sharp rebuke from Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Ghalibaf mocked U.S. officials, labeling them "out of their league" and urging them to stop waiting for a "clown crew" to resolve the situation. Tehran maintains that the strait will stay closed until the United States fulfills the criteria of the interim accord reached earlier this summer, which includes ending the maritime blockade, lifting oil sanctions, halting regional military actions, and unfreezing Iranian assets.

The White House has distanced itself from the agreement, with Trump telling one outlet he is not rushing to strike a new deal and later describing the Iranian regime as "dying" in a press conference. A separate incident in the waterway saw a commercial ship struck by an unidentified projectile, resulting in a crew casualty and engine room damage, prompting an investigation by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.