‘The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by a tweet or an aircraft carrier,’ Iran tells US
- Last updated: August 16, 2026 | 14:39
Iran called on the US to accept defeat on Saturday, while President Donald Trump blasted Tehran as "very evil" and told Americans to prepare for continued high fuel prices as a result of the war.
Tehran, too, has stepped up its rhetoric in recent days as attempts to bring a permanent end to the war appear deadlocked.
"This strait will be opened and closed only under Iran's command, and so long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and stop indulging in fantasies, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade," Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi posted on X.
"The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by a tweet or an aircraft carrier, by issuing an order or by delivering an election speech," Gharibabadi said.
Progress towards peace talks and oil tanker traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains halted, with no sign the warring parties were moving toward ending the conflict that the US and Israel launched on February 28.
Petrol prices cross 4 dollars a gallon in America
Despite Iran's defiant tone, though, there were also signs of an economic toll there.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, in remarks on state television, blamed high inflation on a US blockade of Iranian ports and sanctions on Iran's oil exports.
In a trend that has sparked inflation and disappointed voters, the average US price of a gallon of petrol was about $4.08 on Friday, up 29% from a year earlier, according to the American Automobile Association.
Trump, a Republican, campaigned for reelection on a promise to lower energy costs, and Democrats are seeking to make the war's fallout an issue in the November congressional elections. Crude oil futures rose $1 a barrel on Friday. Benchmark Brent futures were on track for a weekly rise of 6.0% and West Texas Intermediate 5.4%.
Reuters