US President Donald Trump has declared that the US Navy will immediately begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz after peace talks with Iran in Pakistan concluded without an agreement. In a social media post, Trump accused Iran of “extortion” and stated that the US Navy would hunt down and interdict ships in international waters that have paid Iran a toll to traverse the strait. He claimed that while the talks went well, the critical issue of Iran’s nuclear program remained unresolved.
According to reports from Iran, the country has effectively taken control of the Strait of Hormuz—a vital chokepoint for the global energy market—since the US and Israel launched a war on Iran on February 28. Traffic through the narrow strait has slowed to a trickle, paralyzing approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments and sending shockwaves through the global economy.
Trump’s comments have raised significant concerns about the status of the fragile two-week ceasefire. Al Jazeera correspondent Zein Basravi noted from Dubai that the US president’s posts were “very bombastic” and filled with frustration, likely triggering alarm bells in Gulf Cooperation Council countries hoping for an extended ceasefire. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi urged both parties to prioritize diplomacy and avoid a return to conflict.
Iran has denied US claims that its warships recently passed through the strait for mine-clearing operations, warning that any military vessels attempting such actions would receive a “strong response.” Trump labeled Iran’s control over the waterway as “world extortion” in his post and vowed that any Iranian forces firing at US troops or “peaceful vessels” would be “BLOWN TO HELL.” He added that the blockade would involve unspecified “other countries” and that he would not allow Iran to benefit from the strait’s closure.
Democratic lawmakers in the US have criticized Trump’s statements. Senator Mark Warner questioned in a CNN interview how blockading the strait would pressure Iran into opening it, calling the logic unclear. Iran has continued to send its own ships through the strait since the war began and has permitted a handful of vessels from other countries to pass. Iranian officials have also discussed establishing a toll system post-conflict, under which users would pay Iran a fee to cross the strait.
Source: www.aljazeera.com