Donald Trump has said he could declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory after claiming American forces have “total control” over the strategic waterway. A senior White House official later described the remark as a joke and said no plan to claim Hormuz had been discussed with advisers. Iran has rejected Trump’s statement, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi insisting the strait cannot be seized by political declarations or military force. Meanwhile, satellite imagery showing a major oil slick near Iran’s Qeshm Island has added an environmental dimension to the escalating U.S.-Iran confrontation and growing tensions around the vital shipping route.
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