Adedokun Waliyu 
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States after the war with Iran ends.
Trump made the statement while addressing a police academy on Long Island, New York. He said the United States would take control of the strategic waterway after defeating Iran.
Trump also claimed that the United States currently has a blockade in place and that ships cannot pass through the strait without U.S. approval.
His comments come amid stalled talks between Washington and Tehran following unsuccessful negotiations over the conflict.
Iran, which borders the Strait of Hormuz and maintains control over the waterway, has refused to reopen the strategic passage. The United States has also imposed a blockade on Iranian shipping and ports as part of efforts to increase economic pressure on Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions with Oman, which also borders the Strait of Hormuz, were focused on establishing a sea route through the waterway.
Araghchi said Iran and Oman could soon reach an agreement on the future management of the strait, but stressed that the United States would still have to meet Iran’s conditions before shipping could fully resume.
He also said Iran had not decided to resume direct negotiations with the United States. According to him, messages being exchanged through Qatar and Pakistan should not be regarded as formal negotiations.
Meanwhile, maritime tracking information indicated that an Iranian supertanker had resumed loading oil at Kharg Island, reportedly for the first time since late July.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil-shipping routes, and prolonged disruption of traffic through the waterway could have significant consequences for global energy supplies and oil prices.
