Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi declared on Saturday, 15 August that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed and reopened exclusively under Iran's command, directly rejecting a claim by US President Donald Trump who said he would soon declare the strategic waterway a US territory. The remarks, posted on X, mark one of Tehran's sharpest public rebuttals to Washington in recent weeks.

Iran's Direct Rebuke to Trump

Gharibabadi, who holds the legal and international affairs portfolio in Iran's foreign ministry, responded to Trump's rally statement with pointed language. “The Strait of Hormuz can be captured neither with a tweet and aircraft carriers nor by issuing orders and a stump speech. Iran is neither afraid of threats nor intimidated by displays of power,” he wrote.

“This strait will only be closed and opened under Iran's command,” he added. The statement came hours after Trump, speaking at a rally in New York, said: “After we finish defeating Iran -- which is being very badly defeated -- pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.”

Iran's Foreign Minister on Stalled Talks

Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran has made no decision on resuming formal negotiations with the United States, according to state broadcaster IRIB. In an interview, Araghchi acknowledged that messages are being exchanged through mediators, but stressed that “this does not mean negotiations at all.”

He also alleged that the United States had “violated” the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two sides in June, which had formally announced the end of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. Clashes reportedly resumed after the alleged breach.

A New Route Through Oman

Araghchi disclosed that negotiations are currently underway between Iran and Oman to designate an alternative route for safe vessel passage through the Strait of Hormuz. “We are currently designing a temporary route, which will turn into a permanent one in the next stages,” he said, adding that a conclusion may be reached “soon.”

However, he made clear that any reopening of the strait remains conditional. The resumption, he said, hinges on the fulfilment of other conditions “to which the United States must be committed.”

The MoU and the 60-Day Deadline

The Iran-US MoU, signed on 18 June, called for negotiations within 60 days to reach a final agreement. That deadline falls on Monday. The talks' future, however, remains uncertain following fresh escalation between the two countries over the past month. The Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 20% of global oil supply transits — sits at the centre of this diplomatic standoff, making the outcome consequential far beyond the two nations involved.

With the 60-day window closing and no formal talks confirmed, the trajectory of the Iran-US standoff over the strait will come into sharper focus in the days ahead.