Trump Says Strait of Hormuz Will Be "U.S. Territory" After War
Listen to the story
U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that he wants to make the Strait of Hormuz "a territory of the United States" after the war ends.
The strait is a narrow waterway near Iran. It is one of the world's most important routes for shipping oil.
Trump's comment caused a strong reaction from Tehran, the capital of Iran and the seat of its government.
Iranian officials pushed back against the idea, which suggests U.S. control over an area currently linked to Iran and other regional countries.
The statement came during an ongoing war in the region, which has already put pressure on Iran's economy.
Analysts and journalists are now asking how long Iran's economy can keep functioning under the current conditions.
The war has created uncertainty about Iran's ability to maintain trade, oil exports, and daily economic activity.
The Strait of Hormuz is considered a strategic location because a large share of the world's oil passes through it every day.
Any change to who controls the strait could affect global oil prices and international shipping.
For now, Trump's remarks have added new tension to an already difficult situation between the United States and Iran.
It remains unclear how Iran, or other countries in the region, will respond in the coming days.
Vocabulary10 words
- Strait of Hormuz
- a narrow sea passage near Iran; used by many oil ships
- Tehran
- the capital city of Iran
- declare
- to say something officially and clearly
- territory
- an area of land controlled by a country
- economy
- the system of money, trade, and business in a country
- strategic
- very important for control or planning
- regional
- relating to a specific area near a country
- shipping
- moving goods by sea
- tension
- a feeling of difficulty or conflict between groups
- uncertainty
- not knowing what will happen next
Quiz
Answer key
1. That it will become U.S. territory after the war 2. Because much of the world's oil passes through it 3. How long its economy can continue under current conditions
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that he wants to make the Strait of Hormuz "a _____ of the United States" after the war ends.
The strait is a narrow waterway near Iran, and one of the world's most important routes for _____ oil.
Trump's comment caused a strong reaction from _____, the capital of Iran.
Iranian officials pushed back against the idea, which suggests U.S. _____ over the area.
The statement came during an ongoing war, which has already put pressure on Iran's _____.
Analysts are now asking how long Iran's economy can keep _____ under current conditions.
The Strait of Hormuz is considered a _____ location because a large share of the world's oil passes through it.
Any change to who controls the strait could affect global oil _____ and shipping.
Trump's remarks have added new _____ to an already difficult situation between the U.S. and Iran.
It remains unclear how Iran will _____ in the coming days.