United States President, Donald Trump, has said Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic as part of any peace deal, while briefly referring to the strategic waterway as the “Strait of Trump.”

Speaking on Friday, Trump insisted that restoring access to the vital shipping route remained a key condition for ending the ongoing conflict, as global energy supplies continue to be disrupted by the crisis.

Trump maintained that negotiations were ongoing, despite Iran’s repeated denials, and expressed optimism about reaching an agreement to end the month-long conflict.

“We’re negotiating now, and it would be great if we could do something, but they have to open it up,” Trump said at a Saudi-backed FII Priority investment forum in Miami.

“They have to open up the Strait of Trump – I mean Hormuz. Excuse me, I’m so sorry. Such a terrible mistake.”

The US leader acknowledged the slip, suggesting it would attract media attention, but added, “there’s no accidents with me, not too many.”

Trump also said Iran was “on the run,” claiming its leadership, navy, air force and nuclear programme had suffered major setbacks during the conflict.

He referenced previous decisions to rename landmarks after himself, including the Gulf of Mexico, which he said had been rebranded as the “Gulf of America” shortly after he returned to office.

During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump said it was “an option” for the United States to take control of Iran’s oil resources, similar to its approach in Venezuela, even as fighting continues. (France 24)

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