President Donald Trump said that no single nation will control the Strait of Hormuz and that the U.S. will not lift sanctions on Iran until a deal is signed [1, 2].
This stance signals a commitment to maintaining maximum economic pressure on Tehran to force a negotiated agreement. By challenging Iran's perceived leverage over the strategic waterway, the administration seeks to neutralize the threat of maritime blockades as a tool for sanctions relief.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House this month, Trump said that no nation can dominate the waterway [1, 2]. He said, "Nobody's going to control it" [2].
The President linked the continued use of sanctions to the necessity of a formal agreement. He said that the U.S. would not consider relief for Iran until such a deal is finalized [1, 2].
Trump has previously expressed confidence in the U.S. ability to resolve the conflict without external assistance. On May 13, he said, "I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other, peacefully or otherwise" [3].
The administration's approach emphasizes the vulnerability of the Iranian government under current pressures. Trump said that "the only reason they are alive today is to negotiate" [4].
These remarks reinforce a policy of strategic patience, and economic isolation. The U.S. continues to monitor the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, while insisting that diplomatic concessions must precede any easing of economic penalties [1, 2].
“"Nobody's going to control it."”
The administration is attempting to decouple the security of the Strait of Hormuz from the diplomatic negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear and regional activities. By publicly dismissing Iran's ability to control the strait, the U.S. aims to strip Tehran of its primary geopolitical deterrent, thereby increasing the pressure on the Iranian government to accept terms of a deal without the leverage of a potential energy crisis.
