Washington/US President Donald Trump announced this Sunday that his country will block the Strait of Hormuz and accused Iran of maintaining its “nuclear ambitions” after peace negotiations in Pakistan concluded without an agreement.
Although he affirmed that the talks were satisfactory and that the ceasefire that began on April 8 will continue to apply, the Republican assured that he has ordered the US Navy to block the sea route.
“The meeting went well, agreement was reached on most points, but the only really important point, nuclear weapons, was not approved. Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the best in the world, will begin blocking all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote on his Truth Social network.
This is Trump’s first reaction since the more than 20-hour negotiations in Islamabad between a delegation from the United States and another from Iran concluded without an agreement this Sunday, the highest level contact between both countries since they broke relations after the Islamic revolution of 1979.
Effective immediately, the US Navy, the best in the world, will begin blocking all ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz.
The announcement of the US blockade of the strait comes after Iran has kept this strategic route closed, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes, in retaliation for the US and Israeli offensive that began on February 28 against the Islamic republic.
The president affirmed, without specifying which countries, that other States will participate in blocking the road and also assured that the United States will begin the demining task to remove the maritime mines placed by Iran during this conflict.
Trump also announced that he has ordered the Navy to intercept all ships in international waters that have paid a toll to Iran to circulate through the strait, considering that this fee is “illegal.”
“The blockade will begin shortly. Other countries will participate in this blockade. Iran will not be allowed to benefit from this illegal act of extortion. They want money and, more importantly, they want nuclear weapons,” he warned.
Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be destroyed. Iran knows, better than anyone, how to end this situation that has already devastated its country
However, he expressed his confidence that “at some point” an agreement will be reached for free entry and exit through that sea route.
“Any Iranian who shoots at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be destroyed. Iran knows, better than anyone, how to end this situation that has already devastated their country,” he said.
In an interview with Fox News this Sunday, the president declared that the United Kingdom and other countries will help in demining efforts in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We have state-of-the-art minesweepers, the most modern and advanced, but we are also incorporating more traditional minesweepers. From what I understand, the United Kingdom and a couple of other countries are sending minesweepers,” he declared.
The Government of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whom Trump has criticized for weeks for not getting militarily involved in the reopening of the strait, has not confirmed its possible participation in the demining of that sea route.
The Strait of Hormuz has never been owned by Iran for it to close it or restrict navigation through it.
The Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sultan Al Jaber, stated this Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz has never been the property of Iran for it to close it or restrict navigation through it.
Sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz is shared between Iran, the UAE and Oman, despite Tehran’s not new claims to control it militarily in its entirety.
“The Strait of Hormuz has never been owned by Iran for Iran to close it or restrict navigation through it,” wrote Al Jaber, also general director and CEO of the UAE’s state oil and gas company.
In a brief message in
“This behavior is illegal, dangerous and unacceptable, and the world cannot afford to tolerate it,” Al Jaber added.
The Emirati minister stated that, since February 28, when the United States and Israel began the war against Iran, at least 22 ships have been attacked, 10 crew members have died and some 20,000 sailors remain unable to navigate safely, while nearly 800 commercial vessels – almost 400 of them oil tankers – remain blocked in the area.
