Iran Declares California Its ‘New Territory’ in Retaliatory Move

Tensions have escalated after US President Donald Trump referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the United States’ “new territory.” In response, an Iranian government-affiliated social media account described the US state of California as the “new territory” of Iran.

Trump recently posted a map of the Strait of Hormuz on Truth Social, marking the strategic waterway as a “new area” of the United States. He also expressed his intention to make the strait US property after the war. The White House later reposted his statement on X.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi strongly criticized Trump’s remarks, warning that his “misconception” about the Strait of Hormuz would soon be corrected, either by Trump himself or by Iran.

Following the remarks, the Iranian government-affiliated account “Iran in Hyderabad” posted a map of the United States with California highlighted in blue and labeled it the “new territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

California, particularly the Los Angeles area, is home to a large Iranian-American community. According to UCLA’s Center for Near Eastern Studies, around 141,000 people of Iranian descent live in Los Angeles County. The community grew significantly after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, with Westwood in Los Angeles informally known as “Tehrangeles.”

The exchange comes amid ongoing geopolitical and psychological tensions between Tehran and Washington. Disagreements over navigation rules and their implementation in the Strait of Hormuz have also complicated efforts to reach a broader agreement between the two countries.