Trump says US military will block any ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States of America is a federal republic in North America, founded in 1776 following its Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. Its history is marked by westward expansion, industrialization, and its emergence as a global superpower in the 20th century, with a diverse cultural landscape shaped by immigration and democratic ideals.

Iran, historically known as Persia, is a country in Western Asia with one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, dating back to the Elamite and Achaemenid Empires over 2,500 years ago. It is renowned for its profound cultural heritage, including magnificent Islamic architecture, intricate Persian carpets, poetry, and gardens, shaped by its pre-Islamic Zoroastrian past and its role as a center of Islamic art and scholarship after the 7th century. Today, it is home to numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the ancient ruins of Persepolis and the splendid Imam Square in Isfahan.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically vital maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean. Historically, it has been a key trade route for centuries, controlling the flow of oil from the Middle East. Today, it remains one of the world’s most critical passages for global energy shipments, with about a fifth of the world’s oil passing through it.