The United States will control traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump announced. The goal is to clear the sea route, but also to deprive Iran of a key advantage. But could it lead to a new escalation?
Donald Trump ordered the US Navy to stop all ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz from Monday afternoon. The US president is trying to take strategic control over Iran's main advantage in the negotiations. The regime in Tehran must stop determining which ships can and cannot pass through the strait, as well as charging vessels for using the sea route.
A blockade that also worries China
In an interview with the American television channel "Fox News", Donald Trump accused Iran of "blackmailing the whole world" and said that during the negotiations between the United States and Iran, which took place in Pakistan this weekend, the Iranian regime behaved as if it was in a strong position. However, this is not the case, the American president said, because "their army was destroyed".
The naval blockade that Trump is planning is also a warning to China, ARD writes. Beijing receives about half of its oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. The American president threatens that all ships that have paid fees for passing through the Iranian strait will be stopped. The main goal of the American head of state with this blockade is to remove the mines laid by Iran in the strait. According to Trump, the US's European NATO partners may also participate in this operation.
The red line - Iran's nuclear weapons
The American president also commented on the failed negotiations in Islamabad. He said that the American delegation, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, had achieved success in most of its demands. At the same time, however, Trump said that Iran had "refused to end its nuclear ambitions” and stressed that this was certainly the most important issue for him.
According to a BBC source familiar with the negotiations held in Pakistan, he lists a much longer list of disagreements – including Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran's support for regional proxy groups, such as the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The US president also defended his much-criticized threats to "destroy Iran's entire civilization”. According to Trump, these threats have forced Tehran to sit at the negotiating table, which they will not leave now. Regarding the other important issue for him - fuel prices, Trump promised that prices will fall again by the fall.
Negotiation tactic or transition to a new escalation?
There are serious doubts whether the naval blockade is simply a negotiation tactic or will lead to a new military escalation. If the Iranian regime attacks American warships, this would mean the end of the agreed ceasefire. Democratic Senator Mark Warner sharply criticized Trump's risky policy on CNN. "Energy prices will remain at record levels for months or years," Warner said. He added that he did not see how Trump's blockade could lead to the opening of the strait. Instead, praise came from Republican politicians. Trump's naval blockade deprives the Iranian regime of its most important political leverage and its most significant source of revenue, Trump's allies said.
A new CBS poll shows that a majority of Americans - 59% - say the war is going somewhat or very badly for the United States. Many believe that Washington's main goals - such as maintaining free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, providing greater freedom for the Iranian people and ultimately ending Iran's nuclear program - remain unfulfilled. An overwhelming majority of representatives of both parties believe it is important for the United States to achieve these goals.