Iran Asserts Hormuz Control, Rejects US Blockade Threat

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf publicly reasserted Tehran's authority over the Strait of Hormuz, framing any US naval blockade of Iranian ports as 'a clumsy and ignorant decision.' The statement comes as President Trump warned Iran against using economic leverage as a tool of 'blackmail' during ongoing nuclear negotiations, sharpening the rhetorical confrontation between the two sides. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil chokepoint, with roughly 20 percent of global petroleum trade transiting the waterway daily. Tehran's assertion that it retains effective control over the strait is a direct signal to Washington and energy markets that any military escalation carries immediate supply disruption risk. Traders and analysts tracking Middle East risk premiums will watch whether either side moves from rhetoric toward operational posture changes, as even credible threats in this corridor have historically triggered crude price spikes and insurance surcharges on tanker routes.