Iran dismissed President Donald Trump's assertion that the Strait of Hormuz would become U.S. territory, calling it "fanciful delusions" and insisting the strategic shipping chokepoint will remain under Iran's control. Trump also urged Americans to tolerate higher fuel costs tied to the Iran war, saying "a tiny little bit more for your gasoline" was worthwhile to stop "a very evil country" from getting a nuclear weapon. U.S. gasoline prices stood at $4.08 a gallon on Friday, up 29% from a year earlier, according to AAA. The exchange came as Trump intensified his rhetoric toward Iran while also signaling the conflict was nearing an end, part of a broader pattern described in the report. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Newsmax on Thursday that additional economic penalties on Iran would be imposed soon. Military pressure has also remained in focus through the USS Abraham Lincoln's extended Middle East deployment, which has lasted more than 200 consecutive days at sea since the ship left San Diego in November without a port call, prompting concerns from families and lawmakers over sailors' mental health and onboard conditions that Trump and military officials have denied.