Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump after the American leader shared a social media post depicting the Strait of Hormuz as US territory, while China renewed calls for a negotiated end to tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Responding on X, Gharibabadi appeared to suggest that Trump was suffering from hallucinations and delusions, describing symptoms associated with schizophrenia and saying people experiencing such symptoms required medical supervision and treatment.
His remarks followed a post by Trump on Truth Social on Friday showing an image of US territories around the world that included the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically important waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
The Iranian official’s response added to increasingly hostile rhetoric surrounding the waterway, which remains central to regional security and international energy supplies.
Separately, China urged Washington and Tehran to pursue diplomacy, describing negotiations as the only viable route out of the continuing confrontation.
“Dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way out,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing on Friday.
Lin also reiterated Beijing’s opposition to what it considers unilateral US sanctions against Iran, saying China’s position on such measures remained consistent.
The comments followed remarks by Trump suggesting that Chinese banks could face US sanctions over their dealings with Iran, adding another potential source of friction between Washington and Beijing.
China has maintained economic relations with Iran while repeatedly calling for a diplomatic settlement to the US-Iran confrontation and opposing sanctions imposed outside the framework of the United Nations.