Kathmandu— US President Donald Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz to be “new territory of the United States” this week, prompting strong condemnation from Iranian officials amid stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Trump made the declaration via his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, sharing a map with a portion of the waterway circled and labeled as US territory. The move follows the expiration of a two-month window for peace talks and comes after threats directed at Oman, a key mediator in the ongoing standoff, over its parallel negotiations with Iran regarding control of the strait.

Iranian Response

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded to Trump's claim by calling him “delusional” and warning that Iran would take steps to “correct” what it views as a false assertion. Gharibabadi also commended Trump for correctly spelling the name of the Persian Gulf, referencing reports that the US president had considered rebranding the waterway as the ‘Arab Gulf.’

Stalled Negotiations and Blockade

Trump confirmed on Tuesday that no talks or conversations were currently taking place, or scheduled, with Iran. He also asserted that a naval blockade remains “in full force and effect,” claiming the Strait of Hormuz is open and operating, and that all water mines had been removed or detonated. These claims come as negotiations between the US and Iran have reached an impasse.

Oman’s Role and Potential Conflict

On Monday, Trump threatened to attack Oman if it interfered with his efforts to resolve the conflict with Iran. Muscat has been actively involved in mediating talks between the two countries but is also pursuing parallel negotiations with Tehran on establishing a joint mechanism for governing the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has sought to establish a permanent system for collecting tolls for safe passage through the strait and reportedly reached an “understanding” with Oman regarding this matter.

Dispute Over Tolls

The US has rejected Iran’s demand to charge fees for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, signaling it will maintain its indefinite blockade of Iranian ports unless Tehran abandons the proposal. This dispute over control and revenue from the vital waterway remains a key obstacle in ongoing negotiations.

As of Wednesday, no further talks between the US and Iran are scheduled, and the naval blockade of Iranian ports continues to be enforced.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.