US, Iran make competing claims over Strait of Hormuz; what's the situation?

The confusion over the control of Strait of Hormuz intensified after US President Donald Trump and Iran made competing claims on the narrow waterway.

Trump said that there are no talks underway or planned with Iran and claimed the US naval blockade of Iranian shipping remains fully in force.

“There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect.”

Trump said the Strait of Hormuz was open and operating and that all mines in the waterway had been removed or detonated.

He also shared a map of the strategic waterway that appeared to depict the Strait of Hormuz as US territory.

Tehran, meanwhile, insisted that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen unless Washington lifts the blockade, sanctions and other measures.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would not reopen the strait until conditions laid out in a memorandum of understanding were implemented, including lifting the US blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions and ending threats and military operations.

“The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until these conditions are implemented,” Ghalibaf said in remarks to parliament, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also mocked Trump's depiction of the waterway as US territory, saying Tehran would correct what he called the president's “delusions.”

The competing claims come as control of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a focal point of confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

CNN, citing shipping data from Kpler, reported that more than 80% of vessel transits through the strait over the past two weeks have used the Omani route, a UN-authorised shipping channel opposed by Iran.

Iran has declared the strait under its control and attacked dozens of ships attempting to use the route along Oman's coast, according to the report.

But many vessels have continued to transit despite the risks, relying on protection from US naval forces.

“It increasingly looks like Iran has at least partially lost control of the strait,” said Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude oil analysis at Kpler, according to CNN.

The shift marks a sharp change from a month earlier, when Kpler observed virtually no shipping traffic through the Omani route.

The reduced traffic through Iran's preferred route has also limited Tehran's ability to charge tolls on vessels using the waterway, the report said.

But the United States does not appear to have complete control of the strait either.

Iran's continuing attacks and oil flows that remain below pre-war levels suggest Tehran retains the ability to disrupt shipping.

Meanwhile, a growing number of vessels are managing to pass through despite Iranian opposition.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said last week that combined oil shipments through the strait and cargoes rerouted around the waterway amounted to about 15 million barrels a day over one week.

Iran said Monday that it had reached an agreement with Oman on a plan for ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz and that the two countries were working to finalise details of a joint statement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said an understanding had been reached over a map showing the transit route.

Trump has objected to the Oman-Iran discussions.

In an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, he threatened military action against Oman if it interfered with Washington's blockade of Iranian ships, saying the United States would “bomb the shit out of” the country.

Trump also said Iran should “put up the white flag of surrender” and that he was not operating under a timetable, according to Yingst.

The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's most important energy corridors, carrying a large share of global oil shipments.