Trump Thank-You Post To Iran On Hormuz Has One Major Geographic Error. Can You Spot It?

Last Updated:April 17, 2026, 18:52 IST

The waterway Trump was referring to is the Strait of Hormuz- named after the ancient Persian port city of Hormuz, not after the country it borders.

US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to thank Iran after Tehran announced it was reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping as part of a regional ceasefire arrangement.

“IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU," Trump wrote, in his characteristically capitalised style.

There was one problem: there is no such thing as the Strait of Iran.

The waterway Trump was referring to is the Strait of Hormuz- named after the ancient Persian port city of Hormuz, not after the country it borders. The strait connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and sits between Iran to the north and the United Arab Emirates and Oman to the south. Roughly 20 per cent of the world’s daily oil supply passes through it, making it one of the most consequential stretches of water on the planet.

Read more: Iran Opens Strait Of Hormuz For All Commercial Vessels After Lebanon Ceasefire

The error did not go unnoticed.

The announcement itself, name aside, carries real significance. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed that the strait had been reopened for commercial vessels as part of arrangements tied to the Lebanon ceasefire and broader regional de-escalation efforts. The waterway had faced severe restrictions for over six weeks following a sharp escalation in regional tensions, disrupting energy shipments, spiking freight costs and rattling global oil markets.

The reopening has been closely watched by governments and traders alike. Even brief closures of Hormuz have historically sent oil prices lurching- the strait is too narrow and too vital for markets to ignore.

For now, ships will move through the Strait Of Hormuz and the US President, whatever he calls it, is apparently pleased.

News world Trump Thank-You Post To Iran On Hormuz Has One Major Geographic Error. Can You Spot It?

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