Trump Accuses Iran of Faking Hormuz Threats to Lift Oil Prices

U.S. President Donald Trump accused Iran of fabricating reports of attacks and naval mines to push oil prices higher ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections, while claiming that more oil is passing through the Strait of Hormuz than before the conflict. In a post on Truth Social, Trump alleged that Tehran was trying to raise energy costs for political advantage. He said reports of maritime attacks and mines were being made up, and asserted that oil flows through the strategic waterway exceeded pre-conflict levels. Those claims were not independently verified in the reports. Trump also said that 75,000 protesters had died in Iran in less than seven months, and accused Iranian authorities of killing demonstrators and others. The casualty figure was his claim; the reports provided no independent confirmation. He reiterated that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy warned that continued U.S. efforts to send vessels through a passage it described as mined could widen the confrontation to U.S. bases in the region. The warning was attributed to the IRGC Navy Command. Iranian state media reported that the IRGC Navy claimed it had...