FILE: Tehran, Iran - Jan 25, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland/Israel Media/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
1. Various of Iranian Foreign Ministry building

FILE: Tehran, Iran - Jan 14, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland/Israel Media/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
2. Various of interior of Iranian Foreign Ministry

FILE: Tehran, Iran - Jan 25, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland/Israel Media/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
3. Cityscape, national flag of Iran

FILE: Tehran, Iran - June 12, 2020 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland/Israel Media/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
4. Various of Iranian national flags; traffic

FILE: Tehran, Iran - July 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland/Israel Media/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
5. Traffic, national flags of Iran

FILE: Strait of Hormuz - June 5-6, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland/Israel Media/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
6. Various of stranded vessels

FILE: Strait of Hormuz - Date Unknown (NNC - No access Chinese mainland/Israel Media/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
7. Various of ships sailing in Strait of Hormuz

FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Oct 2024 (CCTV Video News Agency - No access Chinese mainland)
8. Various of White House, U.S. national flag

FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
9. Various of White House, fountain, U.S. national flag

Iran on Saturday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's claim of control over the Strait of Hormuz and vowed to keep the waterway blockaded.

Iran also stressed that only Iran can decide whether the strategic waterway is open or closed.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi expounded Iran's stances in a post on X after Trump said he would soon declare the strait to be U.S. territory following Iran's defeat.

"The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized with a tweet, an aircraft carrier, an executive order or an election speech," Gharibabadi wrote. "Iran neither fears threats nor is intimidated by displays of force."

"The Strait of Hormuz has always belonged to Iran and always will. Only Iran can open or close it," he said.

Gharibabadi said Iran will continue enforcing its blockade of the strait as long as the United States refuses to accept the "reality of defeat" or gives up its "fanciful delusions."

Trump, speaking on Long Island in New York on Thursday, said he would declare the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S. territory after defeating Iran.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump said the United States had full control of the waterway, and that Iran could do nothing about it.

The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is a vital route for oil shipments from Gulf producers.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a statement carried by the Islamic Republic News Agency on Thursday that the strait is under Iran's "full control", and that no vessel could pass through it safely without Iran's permission.