Tensions escalated further on Wednesday as Iran rejected US President Donald Trump’s claims about Tehran seeking a ceasefire, while also asserting control over the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz. The developments come amid a widening geopolitical rift involving Western allies over how to respond to the ongoing conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei dismissed Trump’s remarks, calling them “false and baseless,” signalling Tehran’s firm stance against what it views as misinformation during a volatile phase in the region.
Iran asserts control over Strait of Hormuz
In a parallel statement, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard emphasised its hold over the vital waterway, underlining its strategic leverage in the crisis. The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments, has been at the centre of rising tensions.
“This strait will not be opened to the enemies of this nation through the ridiculous spectacle by the president of the United States,” the statement said.
The assertion reflects Iran’s hardened position as disruptions in the region continue to impact global energy markets and shipping routes.
France pushes back amid NATO tensions
Meanwhile, divisions among Western allies became more visible as France responded sharply to Trump’s threats of potentially withdrawing the United States from NATO. The remarks followed disagreements over military involvement in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Let me remind you what NATO is. It is a military alliance concerned with the security of the Euro-Atlantic region. It is not designed to carry out operations in the Strait of Hormuz, which would be a breach of international law,” Junior Army Minister Alice Rufo told the War & Peace conference in Paris.
France has advocated for a more measured, internationally coordinated approach, with President Emmanuel Macron suggesting a United Nations-backed framework for any action related to the strait. Paris has stressed that efforts should focus on restoring navigation without escalating the conflict.
“I understand this irritation, but I am not speaking on behalf of the United States,” Rufo said.
“I am speaking for a country that is a founding member of the Atlantic Alliance (NATO) and a founding member of the European Union, and which for the past 20 years has been saying that Europeans must take a greater share of responsibility for collective defence in Europe.”
The disagreement highlights growing fractures within the alliance, as countries weigh their responses to the crisis while balancing legal, economic and security concerns.