Iran Mocks Trump’s Hormuz Claim by Calling California Its ‘New Territory’

The Diplomatic Inside–Aug 19th2026

Tehran (TDI): Iran has responded sarcastically to US President Donald Trump’s claim over the Strait of Hormuz, with an official Iranian social media account posting a map labelling California as the “new territory” of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Trump had shared an image on his Truth Social account showing the Strait of Hormuz highlighted beneath the words “NEW US Territory”.

The post followed earlier remarks in which Trump suggested that the strategically important waterway could become US territory after the conflict ends. The White House later reposted the image on its official X account.

In response, the official Iran in Hyderabad account on X shared a map of the United States with California highlighted and labelled it “NEW TERRITORY OF ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN”.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also criticized Trump’s statement, warning that his claims about the Strait of Hormuz would either be corrected or challenged by Iran.

The exchange comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington following months of conflict and stalled diplomatic efforts.

California was chosen for the Iranian response in part because the state, particularly the Los Angeles area, has one of the largest Iranian-American communities outside Iran.

According to the Iranian Diaspora Dashboard hosted by UCLA’s Centre for Near Eastern Studies, around 141,000 Iranian Americans live in Los Angeles County.

The Iranian-American community in Southern California grew substantially after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, with Los Angeles’ Westwood neighbourhood becoming a major centre of Iranian cultural and community life. The area is often informally referred to as “Tehrangeles”.

The latest exchange reflects the increasingly confrontational rhetoric between Tehran and Washington as disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz continue.

Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending the conflict and creating a framework for broader negotiations. However, the agreement has since stalled amid disputes over its implementation and the status of navigation through the strategic waterway.

Separate negotiations between Iran and Oman over arrangements for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have also continued, but have yet to produce a breakthrough.

Iran Weighs Strikes on US Assets in Europe: Report

Tehran (TDI): Iran has considered targeting US military assets in parts of Europe if Washington escalates the conflict, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, citing people close to the Iranian government.

According to the report, Iranian forces have assessed possible targets in southeastern Europe as Tehran considers options for expanding the conflict beyond the Middle East.

Bulgaria is among the countries considered. Sofia last month approved the use of its Bezmer air base by US aircraft involved in aerial refuelling operations.

Cyprus has also been examined as a potential target in the event of a renewed US offensive. The island hosts a British military air base that was targeted by a drone in March.

The Financial Times also reported that Iranian forces have considered targeting undersea fibre-optic cables in the Strait of Hormuz if the conflict escalates further.

One source cited by the newspaper said Tehran was preparing possible responses if US President Donald Trump followed through on earlier threats to strike Iranian infrastructure.

The source reportedly warned that Iran could expand its response beyond the region if it believed the United States had gone too far.

The report comes as diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remain stalled and prospects for renewed talks between Washington and Tehran have weakened.

Trump said Tuesday that there were currently no talks or discussions scheduled with Iran. Iranian military officials have previously warned that any military facility used to launch attacks against Iranian territory could itself become a target.

Military experts cited by the Financial Times said Iran possesses missiles capable of reaching parts of southern and southeastern Europe, although the range could affect their effectiveness and accuracy.

The possibility of attacks on European-based US assets would represent a major expansion of the conflict and could significantly widen the security risks facing countries outside the Middle East.

Washington and Tehran signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in June in an effort to end the conflict and establish a framework for broader negotiations. The arrangement later collapsed amid mutual accusations of violations and renewed fighting.

Since then, diplomatic efforts have failed to produce a breakthrough on reopening the Strait of Hormuz or restarting negotiations on a comprehensive agreement.