Amidst the ongoing tension in the Middle East, the war of words between US President Donald Trump and Iran over the world's most important oil supply route 'Strait of Hormuz' has intensified. Through the White House and his social media platform Truth Social, President Trump has claimed that the US Navy has completely established control over this strategic waterway. He described the US naval blockade as an 'impenetrable wall of steel'. However, Iran has rejected the American claims and presented a different picture of the situation, which has created an environment of great uncertainty in the global energy market and international politics. Trump's claim: US Navy is working like a 'wall of steel' US President Donald Trump, while addressing the media, said that at present 100 percent control of the Strait of Hormuz is in the hands of the US Navy alone. Impenetrable blockade: Trump claimed that the naval blockade imposed by America is as impenetrable as a steel wall, beyond which it is impossible for Iran to cross. Permission to selected ships: According to Trump, the US Navy is allowing the passage of only those ships which it considers appropriate. No ship going to Iran or related to Iran is being allowed to enter this route. Demand for compensation: Trump further said that Iran was demanding compensation for the losses of the previous military conflict, but now America itself will recover reparations from Iran for the losses and attacks done in the last 50 years. Iran's response and claim of truth In response to this claim of the US President, Iran immediately hit back and termed Trump's claims as completely misleading. Control is with us: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson and security officials clarified that the actual passage and control of the Strait of Hormuz is still with Iranian security forces. Claim of expelling ships: Iranian media reports and officials say that they have expelled several merchant and oil tanker ships violating the rules from the borders of Hormuz. Toll and its own rules: Tehran's stance is that until America ends its sanctions and illegal naval blockade, Iran will regulate movement in Hormuz only under its own rules and toll system. Global energy crisis and future uncertainty The Strait of Hormuz is an important sea route in the world through which a large part of the global crude oil and natural gas (LNG) passes. Due to the stringent blockade imposed by America and this new impasse by Iran asserting its rights on the waterway, the possibility of oil supply being affected at the global level has increased. Even though some level of backchannel talks are going on between the two sides, these conflicting claims of 'steel wall' versus 'Iranian control' on Hormuz have created a major economic and military crisis for the entire world.
