'American Can't Impose Their Will': Iran Says US Will Not Control Strait Of Hormuz

Last Updated:April 18, 2026, 17:38 IST

This comes a day after US President Donald Trump claimed the Strait of Hormuz was 'fully open and ready for full passage'.

Iran has pushed back against suggestions that the United States could control or restrict movement through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes. The remarks came after Iran’s military announced that the strategic waterway had been closed again, raising fresh concerns over regional stability.

Speaking on Saturday, Iran’s deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said the United States does not have the authority to impose its will on the situation. He made the comments while attending a diplomatic forum in Antalya, a city in southern Turkey.

“Americans cannot impose their will to do a siege over Iran while Iran, with good intention, is trying to facilitate safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz," Saeed Khatibzadeh told journalists on the sidelines of an annual Turkish diplomatic forum in the southern province of Antalya.

This comes a day after US President Donald Trump claimed the Strait of Hormuz was “fully open and ready for full passage" and said Iran had agreed not to use it as leverage. However, Iran later moved to shut the key waterway again, citing the continuing US naval blockade and rejecting Trump’s claims

Iran has issued a strong warning to the United States, saying it may once again shut the Strait of Hormuz if pressure from Washington continues. The statement comes amid rising tensions over a reported US naval blockade in the region and ongoing disagreements over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, said the country would take firm action if the situation does not improve. He stressed that Iran would control movement through the key waterway if restrictions persist.

“With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open. Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the ‘designated route’ and with ‘Iranian authorization.’"

Ghalibaf also criticised Donald Trump, saying, “Trump made ‘seven claims in one hour, all of which were false," in a social media post."

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for global oil shipments, and any disruption could affect energy markets worldwide. Iran’s warning has therefore raised fresh concerns about stability in the region.

No Timeline Yet For US-Iran Talks

In a separate development, Iran said there is still no fixed date for the next round of talks with the United States. The discussions are expected to take place in Islamabad, but uncertainty remains over when they will happen.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said the focus is currently on finalising the basic framework for negotiations before setting a meeting date.

“We are now focusing on finalising the framework of understanding between two sides. We don’t want to enter into any negotiation or meeting which is doomed to fail and which can be a pretext for another round of escalation," Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters on the sidelines of a diplomacy forum in the southern Turkish province of Antalya.

He added that while progress had been made, differences remain between the two sides.

“Until we agree the framework, we cannot set the date… There was significant progress made actually. But then the maximalist approach by the other side, trying to make Iran an exception from international law prevented us to reach an agreement," he said, referring to US demands over Iran’s nuclear programme.

“I have to be very crystal clear that Iran would not accept being an exception from the international law. Anything that we are going to be committed will be within the international regulations and international law."

The situation remains fluid, with both sides continuing to exchange strong statements while keeping the door open for further talks.

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