A map posted by U.S. President Donald Trump depicting the Strait of Hormuz as "new U.S. territory" became the subject of a counter-post by an official Iranian social media account showing California as belonging to Iran.
On Tuesday, Trump posted a map on his Truth Social account showing the strategic waterway surrounded. The map described the Strait of Hormuz as "New U.S. territory." The White House also reposted it on its official account on X.
Iran responds with a map of California
Iran's official account in Hyderabad posted a map of the United States on X with California marked in blue. The image described California as "new territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also criticized Trump's post. Gharibabadi argued that Iran would make a correction if this approach to the Strait of Hormuz was not corrected.
California's Iranian-origin population
California, particularly the area around Los Angeles, is home to the largest concentration of people of Iranian origin outside Iran. An estimated 141,000 Iranian Americans live in Los Angeles County.
The Iranian community in Southern California expanded significantly after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Westwood in Los Angeles became one of the Iranian diaspora's centers of life and came to be known as "Tehran Angeles."
No progress made on the Strait of Hormuz
The exchanges between Trump and Iran took place as tensions between Tehran and Washington rose after months of conflict.
Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding in June to end the war and pave the way for a more comprehensive agreement. However, the talks made no progress because of disagreements over implementation and the issue of passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Negotiations between Iran and Oman on navigation arrangements in the strategic waterway are continuing without producing results.
