Iran again asserts control over Strait of Hormuz after Trump’s Truth Social annihilation threat

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that any challenge to his country’s control of the Strait of Hormuz would increase tensions after a series of tit-for-tat attacks with the United States and social media threats of annihilation from the US president.

During a visit to Iraq on Sunday, Araghchi said: “Any attempt to adopt new or separate arrangements compared to what is underway by the Islamic Republic of Iran will only lead to more complicated situations and delays in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and will increase the tensions, as we witnessed in the past two nights.” Araghchi also called on all parties to “adhere to the memorandum of understanding and not to allow this MoU to deviate from its course” while proposing a new security framework with Gulf countries.

The comments came after US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that “the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist” if the US was “forced” to resume the war, accusing Iran of violating the ceasefire. “United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started,” he continued.

US Central Command said it had struck 10 Iranian military targets in response to an Iranian drone attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker Kiku, which was carrying some two million barrels of crude. The US military said the response targeted “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities”.

The clashes brought new tension to the negotiating process meant to end a war launched by the US and Israel at the end of February. They also underlined the risks still facing one of the world’s most important sea lanes for oil and other commodities.