President Donald Trump said the United States has total control over the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran has no money, repeating a claim Tehran fiercely rejects even as vessel traffic through the strategic waterway has collapsed.
Trump said the US will keep the strait, a vital route for global energy and other shipments. Iran has repeatedly denied that Washington controls the waterway.
According to Al Jazeera, just eight vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from 130 to 140 before the war, with peace talks stalling. The sharp decline in traffic highlights the impact of the ongoing conflict, despite Trump's assertion of American control.