President Donald Trump has reportedly instructed aides to begin preparing for a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, signaling that the United States intends to keep maximum economic pressure on the Iranian regime rather than ease up following recent ceasefire talks.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Trump told senior advisers during a Monday meeting that maintaining the blockade was a smarter and safer strategy than either restarting full-scale war or prematurely ending negotiations with Tehran.
The move comes as the U.S. continues targeting Iranian shipping operations after Iran attempted to choke off Gulf traffic and threaten global energy routes following the outbreak of war on February 28.
At a state dinner with Britain’s King Charles, Trump declared that the United States and its allies had already dealt a major blow to Iran.
“We’re doing a little Middle East work right now… and we’re doing very well,” Trump said. “We have militarily defeated that particular opponent.”
Trump then made clear that neither Washington nor Jerusalem will ever permit the Iranian regime to obtain nuclear weapons.
“We’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
According to reports, Trump was dissatisfied with Iran’s latest proposal because it attempted to postpone any discussion of Tehran’s nuclear program until after disputes over shipping lanes and the war itself were resolved.
Iran reportedly wants the U.S. Navy blockade lifted and seeks guarantees that America will not resume military action before nuclear negotiations even begin — a framework the Trump administration views as unacceptable.
The White House has insisted that dismantling Iran’s nuclear threat must remain the top priority from the very beginning of any talks.
The ongoing blockade has already reportedly slashed Iranian oil exports and placed severe strain on the regime’s economy, with analysts warning Tehran could soon face a major storage and production crisis if pressure continues.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
