Trump Wants US Control Over Strait Of Hormuz: 5 Reasons Why It Can't Happen Without Iran's Support

Last Updated:July 13, 2026, 18:32 IST

Trump says the US will 'take over' the Strait of Hormuz. Here's why controlling the world's most critical oil chokepoint without Iran's support is virtually impossible.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said the United States would take control of the Strait of Hormuz and be compensated for managing the strategically important waterway through which nearly 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes.

Trump’s remarks came amid ongoing diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran, even as tensions between the two sides have escalated in recent days with exchanges of military strikes.

“We’re taking over the Strait. They have nothing… yesterday, they had an 11-hour meeting… and everything was agreed to yesterday, and they leave the room, and they call back and they say, ‘we had to make a couple of changes’… for 47 years, they’ve been tapping people along… this should’ve been done 47 years ago," Trump said.

The comments were met with a swift response from Iran.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejected the idea of any foreign control over the waterway, saying that relinquishing Iran’s role in the Strait of Hormuz was unthinkable. “Retreating from this strait does not even cross the mind of any Iranian who loves his country," Velayati said.

He further asserted that Iran’s presence in the Strait was essential to safeguarding its national interests.

“Iran is defending the Strait now so that it won’t have to make concessions to the enemy in the future to ensure its ships can pass through it," he added.

The exchange underscores the continuing strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor that serves as the primary export route for oil producers across the Persian Gulf and remains central to global energy security.

Why Strait Of Hormuz Matters?

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. At its narrowest point, it is just 29 nautical miles (54 km) wide, with shipping traffic moving through two navigable channels that are only 2 miles (3.7 km) wide each.

Despite its small size, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. In 2025, an average of 20 million barrels per day (mb/d) of crude oil and petroleum products passed through the strait, accounting for roughly a quarter of global seaborne oil trade.

The waterway serves as the main export route for major oil-producing countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain and Iran. Because alternative export routes are limited, any disruption to shipping through the strait could have significant consequences for global energy markets.

A prolonged closure would not only affect oil exports from Gulf producers but could also limit access to much of the world’s spare oil production capacity, most of which is concentrated in Saudi Arabia. Such a scenario could trigger supply shortages and sharp increases in global oil prices.

According to data for 2025, nearly 15 mb/d of crude oil—around 34% of global crude oil trade—transited the Strait of Hormuz. Most of these exports were destined for Asia, underscoring the region’s dependence on the waterway. China and India alone accounted for 44% of the crude oil shipped through the strait, making its uninterrupted operation crucial for the energy security of both countries.

5 Reasons Why US Control of the Strait of Hormuz Is Unlikely Without Iran’s Support

President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States could take control of the Strait of Hormuz may grab headlines, but turning that idea into reality would face enormous military, geographic and political obstacles. Any long-term arrangement in the strategic waterway would be difficult to sustain without at least some level of Iranian cooperation.

1. Iran Holds the Geographic Advantage

Iran controls the northern coastline of the strait and several strategically located islands, including Qeshm and Hormuz, giving Tehran a natural advantage in monitoring and influencing maritime traffic.

Unlike the US, Iran does not need a large blue-water navy to exert pressure. Its military can rely on coastal missile batteries, drones, sea mines and fast-attack boats positioned close to the shipping lanes, making any attempt at external control extremely challenging.

2. Military Power Cannot Guarantee Permanent Control

While the US Navy remains the world’s most powerful maritime force, maintaining continuous control over the Strait of Hormuz would be a different challenge altogether.

Even extensive airstrikes would not eliminate every mobile missile launcher, drone site or naval asset spread across Iran’s long coastline. The narrow geography of the strait also limits the advantages enjoyed by large US warships and carrier groups, exposing them to asymmetric threats.

Military superiority may help secure shipping routes temporarily, but it does not automatically translate into permanent control of the waterway.

3. Global Shipping Depends on Stability, Not Force

Keeping the strait technically open is only part of the equation. Commercial shipping companies, insurers and energy traders prioritise predictability and security.

Even if military forces guarantee safe passage, shipping costs can soar if insurers view the area as a conflict zone. Rising war-risk premiums can discourage commercial traffic and disrupt global supply chains.

For energy markets, stability achieved through diplomacy is often more valuable than security enforced through military deployments alone.

4. Gulf Allies May Not Back a US Takeover

Many of Washington’s closest partners in the Gulf—including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain—depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their energy exports.

While these countries generally support freedom of navigation and US security guarantees, that does not necessarily mean they would support direct American administration of the waterway.

A unilateral move could increase tensions with Iran and potentially expose regional oil infrastructure, ports and shipping facilities to retaliation, creating new risks for Gulf economies.

5. The Enormous Cost 

Maintaining long-term control over the Strait of Hormuz would require a massive and permanent military commitment.

The US would need continuous naval patrols, advanced surveillance systems, intelligence operations and rapid-response forces stationed across the region. Such an undertaking would carry high financial costs and tie up military resources for years.

Given competing global priorities and the absence of broad international support, sustaining such an operation would be politically and economically difficult.

About the Author

Saurabh VermaChief Sub-Editor

Saurabh Verma is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, specializing in Indian politics, national current affairs, and breaking global news. With years of experience tracking power shifts, election strateg...Read More

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