Iranian parliamentary leader Ebrahim Azizi criticised Donald Trump’s remarks on the Strait of Hormuz, while the US and Iran opened a direct communication channel aimed at ensuring safe passage for commercial vessels.
US President Donald Trump (File Photo: X/@WhiteHouse)
A fresh war of words has erupted over the Strait of Hormuz after US President Donald Trump warned Iran against disrupting traffic through the critical shipping route and suggested Washington could take control of the waterway if required.
The exchange comes at a sensitive moment. Iran and the United States have simultaneously opened a direct communication channel aimed at preventing incidents in the Strait as negotiations continue under a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
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Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, pushed back against Trump’s remarks in a post on X on Monday.
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“You make threats; we take action. The Strait of Hormuz is neither your personal casino nor the backyard of modern-day pirates; these are Iranian sovereign waters, and the ultimate decision rests with the noble people of Iran and its brave armed forces,” Azizi wrote.
His remarks followed comments made by Trump during an interview with Fox News after overnight discussions with Iranian officials.
The US President warned Tehran against attempting to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for global shipping.
“You close it, and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your f***ng country,” Trump said.
He also suggested that the United States could assume operational control of the waterway if necessary.
“We may take over the Strait if we have to. I’ll blow the sh*t out of them,” Trump said.
Trump further warned of economic consequences if talks fail.
“If they don’t make a deal, we’ll collect tolls,” he said.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, mediators Qatar and Pakistan announced on Monday that Tehran and Washington have established a direct communication mechanism focused on avoiding misunderstandings and ensuring safe maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz.
The arrangement was announced after the first round of high-level discussions held under the MoU framework.
A joint statement issued following the Lake Lucerne Summit at Burgenstock in Switzerland said a communication line had been created to prevent incidents and miscommunication and to support the safe passage of commercial vessels.
According to paragraph five of the memorandum, Iran has agreed to use its best efforts to facilitate the safe movement of commercial vessels between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman for a period of 60 days without charging transit fees.
The provision states: “Upon the signing of this MoU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge, for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa.”
The memorandum also states that commercial vessel traffic will resume immediately across the waterway.
Under the agreement, Iran is required to address navigational obstacles and begin implementation within a month.
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