Washington- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington is preparing to impose severe economic pressure on Iran as the two sides remain deadlocked over efforts to end a conflict that has continued for nearly six months.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump warned that the United States would take strong economic action against Tehran. His remarks came one day after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration was preparing measures against Iran that would be unprecedented in scale and could be introduced as early as next week.
Trump also made a striking statement about the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, saying the United States would “soon” declare the waterway to be U.S. territory. He made the comment during a political rally at a police academy in New York state, although it remained unclear whether he intended the statement literally or was speaking rhetorically.
Iran quickly rejected Trump’s remarks. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran would not be pressured by American threats or military displays. He maintained that decisions concerning the opening or closure of the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian authority.
In a post on X, Gharibabadi said Iran would continue enforcing the blockade as long as Washington refused to acknowledge what he described as its defeat. He also argued that control of the strategically vital waterway could not be achieved through statements on social media, military deployments, presidential orders or political speeches.
The confrontation has caused international concern because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes for energy supplies. Commercial traffic through the waterway appeared to slow to an almost complete halt on Friday following attacks on two additional vessels. The United States has also indicated that it could maintain its naval blockade of Iran for an indefinite period.
The latest developments have further complicated diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict. Washington and Tehran remain divided over the future of the waterway as well as Iran’s nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Friday that Tehran had not yet decided whether to resume direct negotiations with the United States. According to the Iranian Student News Agency, Araqchi said Qatar and Pakistan were continuing to communicate with Iranian officials and exchange messages between the two sides.
However, he emphasized that such diplomatic contacts should not be interpreted as the resumption of formal negotiations. The discussions have not yet developed into a new round of talks based on an agreement reached in June that was intended to bring an end to the conflict.
With Washington threatening tougher economic measures and Tehran refusing to back down over the Strait of Hormuz, the standoff between the two countries remains unresolved. The situation has also raised concerns about further disruptions to international shipping, energy markets and regional stability if diplomatic efforts fail to produce a breakthrough.
