Summary His remarks came as US and Iranian forces exchanged heavy missile and drone strikes, with Tehran targeting US facilities across the Gulf on Sunday
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic, even as Iran insisted it had closed the strategic waterway following an escalation in military exchanges with the United States.
Speaking during an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Trump said the vital shipping route remained open despite growing concerns over the safety of one of the world's most important oil transit corridors.
His remarks came as US and Iranian forces exchanged heavy missile and drone strikes, with Tehran targeting US facilities across the Gulf on Sunday and declaring it had again shut the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest attacks marked a significant escalation in the conflict, as Iran sought to assert control over shipping through the strait following recent US strikes.
The attacks also spread to the United Arab Emirates, which had not been targeted since early May, and Qatar, a key mediator in ceasefire talks that had avoided attacks since April.
The renewed violence has cast further doubt on the future of an interim US-Iran agreement signed last month that aimed to reopen the strait and end the conflict after 60 days of negotiations.
Over the past week, Trump has said he considers the ceasefire over while leaving the door open for further negotiations.
The conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has destabilised the Gulf. Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed energy prices higher, fuelling global inflation. Higher fuel prices remain politically sensitive for Trump ahead of November's congressional elections.
Although the interim agreement was intended to reopen the waterway, which previously carried around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, Iran has sought to establish a permanent system for collecting transit fees and has warned vessels not to sail without its authorisation.
Iran said late on Saturday that it had closed the strait after firing a warning shot that struck a vessel travelling on what it described as an unauthorised route. On Sunday, it said it had disabled a second vessel.
India said one of its nationals was missing following an attack on the container ship GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman earlier on Sunday. Oman said 23 crew members had been rescued, while Qatar advised all vessels, including leisure boats, fishing boats and jet skis, to suspend maritime activities.
The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until "the end of US interference in this region," Iran's Revolutionary Guards said.
However, US Central Command rejected Iran's claim, saying its forces remained positioned to safeguard freedom of navigation despite what it described as Iranian "aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations."
"Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing," the command said.
The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center also advised that, despite severe security risks, an expanded southern route near Oman remained available for two-way commercial traffic.
Central Command said US forces struck 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday and more than 300 over the previous three nights to "degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait."
Iranian state media reported explosions in several port cities and said an Iranian army officer had been killed in what it described as "US-Israeli" attacks.
In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had destroyed a command-and-control centre and drone hangars in Jordan, targeted a US radar site in Kuwait, attacked US aircraft carrier support and refuelling platforms in Oman, and destroyed a jet maintenance centre and command facility in Qatar.
Qatar said three people, including a child, were injured by falling shrapnel and declared Iran "fully legally responsible" for the attack.
The UAE said it detected missile threats outside its borders, Bahrain reported intercepting several Iranian aerial attacks, Jordan confirmed missile strikes, and Oman said it had been targeted by drones.
Oman also summoned Iran's ambassador to protest the drone attacks and said the US embassy had advised American nationals in Duqm and Musandam to shelter in place.
The latest hostilities followed talks in Oman on Saturday between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi. Iran said the discussions focused on coordinating arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and would continue with Qatari participation.
Araqchi also discussed regional developments with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in a telephone call, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Last week, the United States revoked the licence authorising sales of Iranian crude after Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers came under fire.
Although Iran has not claimed responsibility for earlier attacks on commercial shipping, analysts say Tehran has used such actions to gain leverage in negotiations.
On Sunday, Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf wrote on X: "The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking."
