Iran taunts Trump over Hormuz claim as US carrier shifts to Middle East

Iran has hit back at US President Donald Trump's claim that the US will declare the Strait of Hormuz its territory after defeating Iran, Aaj Tak reports. Iranian National Security Committee chair Ebrahim Azizi taunted Trump, saying he should worry about his own safety and might have to hide in a food truck again, a jibe at a reported security incident during a Turkey visit. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazim Gharibabadi rejected the idea, saying no tweet or warship could seize the strait. The White House later called Trump's remark a joke.

Separately, Aaj Tak reports that the US has withdrawn its last aircraft carrier from the Western Pacific, the USS George Washington, to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East. The absence has unsettled allies like Japan and the Philippines, while China has conducted naval drills and sought to project influence. The shift underscores strain on the US Navy from extended deployments against Iran.