US President Donald Trump has said that the US Navy has removed or detonated all mines in the Strait of Hormuz – the vital waterway Iran has largely closed since the war began.

“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

No comment has come from Iran.

The closure of the strait has caused wild fluctuations in oil prices, with the US often claiming control over the area while Iran has fired at vessels it says are crossing without permission.

Before the war, around 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas transit the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict began on 28 February with US and Israeli air strikes against Iran.

Alongside closing the strait, Iran retaliated against Israel, US bases, and Gulf allies.

The ceasefire aimed at facilitating talks collapsed and intermittent exchange of fire continues between the US and Iran.

This week the US announced a raft of economic sanctions against Iran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that any nation financially partnering with Iran would be isolated.

Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding in June – a 14‑point document setting a 60‑day deadline to reach a deal on the Strait before addressing the nuclear issue. That deadline has now expired and talks have collapsed, leading to the new US sanctions Trump believes will topple the Iranian regime.

Iran has been under sanctions since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979 and Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Tehran was "fully prepared" for the wider sanctions, which he added would lead to another defeat for the US.

Its economy has suffered as a result of the war, and a blockade of Iranian ports the US has maintained for weeks prevents trade from continuing.

On Tuesday, China – the biggest buyer of Iranian oil – said it opposed the US’s "illegal unilateral sanctions" and would take "all necessary measures" to safeguard its rights.

The US announcement comes ahead of planned talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month. Washington is likely wary of retaliation from Beijing, which processes the majority of the world’s rare earths and other critical minerals.

Beijing has already tightened export controls on rare earths as part of previous trade negotiations with the US.