Zürcher Nachrichten - Trump says no Iran talks planned, claims Hormuz 'new US territory'

Trump has been pressing his threat to claim sovereignty over the crucial energy waterway as the nearly six-month-old Iran war grinds on with little sign of resolution.

Trump's envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner had said on Monday that the United States and Iran were having "very positive and active conversations", but the president denied that was the case.

"There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect," Trump wrote on his Truth Social network on Tuesday.

"The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated."

US sources told AFP there had been "positive" discussions with the Iranians, but added that Trump had decided to wait and asked his team not to engage until Iran was ready to make a deal.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump posted a map on Truth Social showing the Strait of Hormuz as "NEW U.S. Territory."

Iran has effectively shut down the chokepoint, through which a fifth of the world's oil transits, in retaliation for the war Trump started along with Israel in late February.

The US leader revisited the idea again Monday in comments to reporters in the Oval Office, suggesting it would be a good idea.

This is not the first time that Trump, faced with a foreign policy obstacle, has threatened to annex foreign territory.

Since returning to power in 2025, he has threatened to make Canada the 51st US state, seize Greenland and Cuba, and has even alluded to taking control of the Gaza Strip, without following through on any of these threats.

- 'Very patient' -

Before the Iran war erupted on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz was an open, international waterway.

Iran says it will not reopen the strait until Washington meets a sweeping list of demands including ending the US blockade of Iran's ports, lifting oil sanctions, freeing up frozen Iranian assets and paying war damages.

"I want to state clearly that the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until the American commitments stipulated in the memorandum of understanding... are implemented," Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a speech broadcast on state television.

Kushner told Fox News on Monday that Trump "is going to be very patient... he doesn't want to rush to a deal".

But Tehran appears to be content to wait out second-term president Trump, whose approval ratings are falling as his promises to keep the United States out of another "forever war" ring hollow.

The Iran war has driven up prices for US consumers ahead of crucial midterm elections in November that will decide whether Trump's Republicans keep control of Congress.

Trump has shown signs of frustration, threatening on Monday to "bomb the shit" out of US ally Oman if it interferes with a deal on the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile Qatar, a key mediator in the stalled US-Iran talks, said Tuesday that an agreement between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz would make it easier to resume negotiations to end the Middle East war.

H.Roth--NZN