Iran defies Trump by claiming full sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz

According to Iranian state media and official statements, Tehran now claims full sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz – a position it has never asserted in the past.

Iran has dramatically expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the world’s most strategically sensitive energy corridor a vast military operational zone in a move that underlines Tehran’s increasingly defiant posture toward the United States and President Donald Trump.

The announcement, made by senior figures in the naval branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reinforced the impression that Tehran is negotiating and acting not from a position of military triumph, but from confidence that Washington is unable to impose one. As the economic and political costs of the conflict continue to rise for the White House, Iranian officials are increasingly presenting themselves as the side dictating the terms of escalation.

According to statements published by the state-affiliated Fars news agency, IRGC Navy deputy political director Mohammad Akbarzadeh said Iran no longer considers the Strait of Hormuz a narrow maritime passage surrounding several islands, but instead views it as a much broader strategic zone stretching from the city of Jask in the east to Siri Island in the west.

“In the past, the Strait of Hormuz was defined as a limited area around islands such as Hormuz and Hengam, but today this view has changed”, Akbarzadeh said.

Iranian media described the newly defined zone as extending between 200 and 300 miles, far beyond the previously recognised width of approximately 20 to 30 nautical miles. The Tasnim news agency characterised the new configuration as a “complete crescent”.

The move marks the second major expansion of Iran’s declared control area since the start of the conflict involving the United States and Israel. Earlier this month, the IRGC Navy published maps showing an enlarged maritime security zone extending across large sections of the Gulf of Oman and along parts of the United Arab Emirates coastline.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most critical chokepoints in the global economy. Roughly one fifth of worldwide oil and liquefied natural gas supplies transit through the narrow waterway, making any change in its military status a direct concern for global markets and Gulf producers including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.

Tehran’s increasingly assertive rhetoric comes as the financial burden of the conflict on Washington continues to grow. A senior Pentagon official said this week that the U.S. war effort against Iran has now cost approximately $29 billion, $4 billion more than the estimate provided only last month.

The updated figure, presented to lawmakers by acting Pentagon chief financial officer Jules Hurst alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs chairman Dan Caine, includes revised calculations for equipment replacement, repairs and operational expenditures.

Only weeks earlier, Pentagon officials had estimated that the first six days of military operations alone cost at least $11.3 billion.

The rapidly rising costs are beginning to feed directly into the U.S. domestic political debate ahead of the midterm elections. Democrats are increasingly attempting to link the Iran conflict to broader economic pressures and the rising cost of living, while Republicans face growing concerns about retaining control of the House of Representatives.

Against that backdrop, Iranian officials appear increasingly convinced that time is working in their favour.

Rather than projecting a willingness to compromise, Tehran has steadily expanded both its military claims and political demands since the conflict began. Iranian messaging has also shifted from defensive language toward rhetoric emphasising sovereignty, strategic control and regional legitimacy.

The latest declarations surrounding Hormuz suggest that Iran is attempting to redefine not only maritime geography but also the broader balance of power in the Gulf.

For Tehran, the calculation appears increasingly straightforward: the longer the conflict drags on, the more difficult it becomes for Trump to present the confrontation as a strategic success.

That perception has strengthened following the inability of Washington to secure a decisive breakthrough despite months of escalating military pressure and repeated warnings directed at Iran’s leadership.

The confrontation is also increasingly becoming a battle of political endurance.

Trump entered the conflict promising strength and deterrence, but the absence of a clear endgame, combined with mounting financial costs and growing political vulnerability at home, has complicated that narrative. Tehran, meanwhile, appears increasingly comfortable presenting itself as the actor capable of absorbing pressure while gradually expanding its strategic position.

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With Reuters.

Caption: Iranians drive past a veiled woman holding Iran’s national flag in front of a huge anti-US billboard referring to US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz at Valiasr Square in Tehran, Iran, 11 May 2026. US President Donald Trump says Iran’s counter-proposal to end the ongoing conflict is not acceptable. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH