🔻 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is a priority and that keeping it closed benefits no one.

The remarks were made while verbal tensions between Tehran and Washington over control of the Strait of Hormuz continue. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said on Friday that after Iran’s “defeat,” he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory; however, the Wall Street Journal, citing a White House official, reported that the remarks were a joke.

Kazem Gharibabadi, the deputy foreign minister of Iran, in response said that the Strait of Hormuz “has been, is, and will be Iranian,” adding: “This strait will only be closed and reopened by order of Iran.”

Erdoğan also said in an interview with Al Jazeera that during President Trump’s recent visit they discussed the necessity of putting an end to Israel’s war against Lebanon and Washington’s key role in that regard.

He also referred to the joint defense agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan and said that other countries, including Egypt, may join the agreement in the future.

📷 Anadolu via Getty Images