Iran refutes Trump’s claim to ‘control’ Hormuz: What’s the latest in talks?

What the report says

Iran has rejected President Donald Trump’s assertion that the United States has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, saying the vital shipping route will stay closed until Washington changes its conduct and accepts Tehran’s conditions. In Al Jazeera’s report published on 12 August 2026, Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei, now head of the Supreme National Security Council, was quoted as telling China’s ambassador that the strait would not reopen without a shift in US policy. Tehran is seeking sanctions relief, access to frozen assets, compensation for attacks and, in Rezaei’s remarks, an end to the US naval blockade near Iranian ports.

The dispute matters because Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, carrying a large share of global oil and gas trade. Al Jazeera said shipping has remained heavily disrupted, with vessel traffic falling sharply and incidents continuing in surrounding waters. The report also described separate violence in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, where Houthi attacks on a cargo vessel killed several people, underscoring that the wider maritime conflict is affecting multiple routes.

Diplomatic efforts are still underway, but with limited progress. Iran says it is discussing future management of Hormuz with Oman rather than the United States directly. Al Jazeera reported that Iranian, Qatari and Pakistani officials are involved in behind-the-scenes contacts aimed at reviving talks and preventing further escalation. The article also noted that public rhetoric from both Washington and Tehran has hardened, even as some regional officials say they have heard positive signals about the strait’s possible reopening.