Trump declares Strait of Hormuz ‘American territory’, warns Iran over nuclear weaponsNEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump on Friday described the Strait of Hormuz as "American territory" and said Iran would "never" be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continued to escalate over the strategic waterway.Addressing a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Trump said, "We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon; we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, or you will see some very bad things.""We went down, and we stopped them; they will never have a nuclear weapon," he added.Trump also claimed that Iran was keen to reach an agreement with Washington but questioned whether the US would accept a deal, while asserting American control over the Strait of Hormuz."They want to make a deal so badly, we don't even know if we want [a deal] because I view the Strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now, it's an American territory," Trump said.Earlier, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before leaving for Myrtle Beach, Trump claimed the US had "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and backed the idea of declaring the strategic waterway US territory."We're just going to sort of see what happens, and we have total control, as you know, of the border; we have total control -- if you look at the blockade, we have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said.Trump said Iran wanted an agreement but was not prepared to accept what he described as the "right deal"."So they would love to make a deal, but they're not ready to make the right deal in my opinion," Trump said.The remarks came amid continued tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route. Trump had earlier shared an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting the waterway as "NEW U.S. Territory".Iran has rejected Trump's claims over the strategic waterway.Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Trump's assertions would be "corrected" either by circumstances or by Iran."Just as Trump correctly wrote the name of the eternal Persian Gulf, soon his delusion regarding the Strait of Hormuz will either be corrected or we will correct the delusions of this deluded man," Gharibabadi said in a post on X.Iran's Supreme National Security Council head Mohsen Rezaei also criticised Trump's remarks."The gap between America's inability to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and its claim to own it is greater than the 7,000-mile distance between Washington and the Strait itself. Welcome to the post-American order in the Persian Gulf," Rezaei said in a post on X.Trump says Iran's military 'gone'Trump's latest comments came a day after he claimed the US had effectively destroyed Iran's military infrastructure and was "essentially controlling" the Strait of Hormuz.In an interview with 77 WABC, Trump said, "We're (USA) essentially controlling and soon will be controlling the straits. We're doing very well with Iran... The Navy's gone, the Air Force is gone, the leadership is gone."He attributed difficulties in negotiations to the deaths of Iranian leaders and reiterated his opposition to Tehran obtaining nuclear weapons."Part of the problem is that so many of the leaders are gone; it's not easy to make a deal. Nobody knows who's leading. But I think the public sees what we're doing because Iran can never have a nuclear weapon."Trump also claimed that Iran retained some missiles and drones but had a much lower capacity to produce them than five months earlier."Now they have some missiles. They have some drones. Their capacity to build them is very low right now compared to what it was five months ago."He further claimed that Iran's economy was under severe pressure."It's very hard for them to knock out anything. They're in bad shape. have inflation that's 300 % there. Their currency is virtually valueless. The military is not being paid. And so they're in bad shape."Trump said US military action against Iran was necessary to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon and that he would make the same decision again."The key that the reason I did it was that we had no choice, and I would have done it again, a hundred times. They cannot have a nuclear weapon, and they won't be having a nuclear weapon."US says 67 vessels redirectedThe confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz has also intensified at sea.The US Central Command said American forces had redirected 67 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two others as part of efforts to enforce a blockade against Iran.In a post on X, CENTCOM said US forces were continuing to enforce the blockade in the Arabian Sea. It also shared footage of US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aircraft operating from the USS Boxer as the ship transited the region."As of Aug. 20, U.S. forces have redirected 67 commercial vessels, disabled 3 and boarded 2 to ensure compliance," CENTCOM said.Trump has claimed that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and that the US naval blockade has been effective."Right now the Strait is open. A lot of boats are coming through," Trump said, adding that "the naval blockade has been extremely effective" and "100 per cent successful."Trump announces economic offensiveTrump has also announced what he called the "most crushing economic operation ever taken" against Iran, warning countries that provide financial, business, airport or government support to Tehran of "tremendous economic consequences.""No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me. TRAGICALLY, for them, they have failed to take it," Trump said in a Truth Social post."Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," he added.Trump said the measures would target Iran's oil-smuggling operations, financial transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies."Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies -- It all needs to stop NOW," he said.He also urged US allies to join Washington in isolating Tehran."These historic measures will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide," Trump said.Trump separately reiterated his position on Iran's nuclear programme, stating, "IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON."Iran sets conditions for reopening StraitIranian officials have rejected Trump's economic and military claims.Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi criticised Trump's announcement of an "Economic D-Day", saying it diverted attention from America's own economic problems."The so-called 'Economic D-Day' is a diversion from America's own crisis: unprecedented debt and surging interest costs," Araghchi said in a post on X."Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat -- and enmity of Iranians. US economic terrorism threatens global economy and sovereignty worldwide," he added.Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said Tehran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until Washington fulfils commitments under a 14-point memorandum of understanding.The conditions include lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets and easing oil sanctions.The Strait of Hormuz has remained a central flashpoint between Washington and Tehran as the US seeks to maintain maritime access and pressure Iran through military and economic measures, while Tehran continues to condition the reopening of the waterway on concessions from Washington.