Trump calls Strait of Hormuz 'American territory'; blockade redirects 68 ships, Iran allows some Iraqi oil tankers

Cover image: White House photographer. — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

The United States president stated, at a rally in South Carolina, that he views the Strait of Hormuz as "an American territory." The statement comes in the context of an operation that maintains the strait under a naval blockade and has already produced immediate effects on trade: the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that 68 commercial vessels were redirected to comply with the restriction, and the Iranian state media IRNA reported Tehran granted permission for passage for some Iraqi oil tankers.

Trump's Statement and Immediate Impact on Traffic

In a campaign speech, the president said he did not know whether "they had won" in the conflict and stated that he treats the Strait of Hormuz as American territory at the moment. The remarks also included an irony about the option of military attacks against Iran, according to coverage.

In practice, CENTCOM wrote on social media that 68 ships had been redirected to obey the blockade — a direct indication of the movement control imposed by the ongoing military and naval action.

Separately, IRNA reported that Iran allowed passage of "some ships carrying Iraqi oil," responding to Baghdad's requests. These measures show a dual effect: broad traffic restrictions and occasional exemptions negotiated between states.

Tone of Rhetoric and Signs of a Military Posture

In addition to declaring the strait as "American territory," the president joked about carrying out additional attacks on Iran — a comment reported by coverage as part of a tone that mixes claims of control with a willingness to take military action.

Coverages mention previous administration attempts to restrict access to the strait as a form of economic pressure on Iran, and that the government had published a map on social media labeling the area as the "new U.S. territory," per reports.

These public statements accompany, and do more than describe, the operational practice: the redirection of ships indicated by CENTCOM shows that the rhetoric has concrete consequences for who can transit the route.

Consequences for Iraq and Alternatives for Routing

The Iraqi president, Nizar Amidi, said that the government will not accept the use of Iraqi territory to launch attacks on other countries and stated that the effects of the conflict have been "harsh" for Iraq, according to coverage.

Before the conflict, Iraq produced about 4 million barrels of oil per day; with the reduction of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — which normally concentrates about a fifth of globally shipped oil — Baghdad is seeking alternatives to route its production.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, cited by coverage, said the government is working to expand exports through alternative ports, including the Turkish port of Ceyhan and the ports of Baniyas (Syria) and Aqaba (Jordan).

Regional Negotiations Underway and Uncertainties to Watch

Reports indicate that there were talks between Iran and Oman about possible arrangements to reopen the strait, but "so far no agreement has been reached," according to a reporter in Tehran cited by coverage.

Analysts interviewed and reports place the United States as a decisive actor: while the naval blockade continues, they say, passage through the strait will remain limited, even if Iran makes targeted concessions to allies such as Iraq.

For readers, the signals to watch are: formal Washington decisions on maintaining or relaxing the blockade; new public authorizations from Iran for specific ships; and announcements of alternative export routes by affected countries, such as Iraq.

Sources: reports from Al Jazeera and The Guardian; information from the Iranian state agency IRNA; statements by Iraqi authorities cited by coverage.

Sources consulted: Al Jazeera - Latest News — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/8/22/iran-war-live-trump-says-tehran-not-ready-to-make-right-deal-to-end-war?traffic_source=rss - The Guardian - World — https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/21/trump-strait-of-hormuz-american-territory - Al Jazeera - Latest News — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/22/iran-grants-permission-for-some-iraqi-oil-tankers-to-pass-through-hormuz?traffic_source=rss