Trump on Attacks in Strait of Hormuz: Iran Won’t Blackmail US
Despite Trump's talks with Tehran, Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting vital oil routes amid rising tensions and attacks on ships, exposing fragile diplomacy and uneasy global stakes.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Saturday morning, Trump stated that his administration is having very good talks with Tehran. Yet, the Islamic regime attempted to close the Strait of Hormuz just hours after an agreement was reached for the permanent opening of this critical passageway.
“They cannot blackmail us,” he said, noting that many international shipping companies have rerouted their routes to source energy from the Gulf of America via the United States instead of the Persian Gulf.
The president added that more details about the status of the negotiations with Iran would be provided later in the day.
Statement from Iranian Official on the Negotiations
On its side, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Hatibzadeh stated that no date has yet been set for the next peace talks. An overall framework must first be agreed upon, he explained.
“We hope that once we finalize that, we will move on to the next step,” Hatibzadeh said on the sidelines of a forum in Turkey.
Iranian Threats and Economic Consequences
Earlier, a spokesperson for the Iranian military announced that Tehran would not allow safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz until Washington lifts the blockade on Iranian vessels.
This move threatens to severely impact Iran’s economy. The country may be forced to permanently shut down some oil sources, as there is no storage capacity available, and halting crude oil production would cause irreparable damage to the equipment.
New Attacks against Ships
Following these threats, multiple ships were attacked on Saturday. A container ship was hit by an unknown projectile off the coast of Oman, causing damage to some containers, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
Additionally, two commercial vessels reported coming under fire, as reported by the Times of London.
What Is the Course of the Negotiations?
It remains uncertain how these incidents will affect talks with Washington. On Friday, Trump had stated that Iran is desperate to come to the table and has tentatively agreed to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
The Position of the Europeans and Trump’s Response
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Saturday’s events will alter the plans of European NATO member states to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz. Announcements from Britain, France, Germany, and Italy were made on Friday, with the expectation that hostilities had ended…
At a Turning Point USA event, President Trump ironically commented on the Europeans’ stance. He said he only received calls from allies once the situation had calmed down.
“Now that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is almost over, I got a call from NATO asking if we want help,” he said.
“I told them I would have wanted that two months ago, but now I no longer want it, because they were useless when we needed them. In fact, we never needed them. They needed us.“
“If this has taught us anything, it is that we must rely only on ourselves,” Trump concluded. “We cannot depend on other countries and external sources.”
