US President says Strait of Hormuz will remain under pressure until Tehran agrees to terms…reports Asian Lite News
Donald Trump said the United States will maintain control over the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz until Iran agrees to a deal, using the vital oil shipping route as leverage in the escalating standoff between the two countries.
Speaking in Washington on Friday, Trump said the narrow waterway, which serves as a major transit route for global oil exports, would remain effectively restricted unless Tehran reaches an agreement with Washington.
“We have total control of it,” Trump said. “It’ll open when they make a deal or something else happens that’s very positive.”
The US President made it clear that the strategy is aimed at increasing economic pressure on Iran by limiting its ability to profit from oil exports moving through the strait.
“If we open the strait, that means they’re going to make $500 million a day. I don’t want them to make $500 million a day until they settle this thing,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz connects oil producing Gulf nations to international markets and is regarded as one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Any disruption to shipping activity in the passage typically triggers volatility in global oil prices and raises fears over energy supply disruptions.
Trump acknowledged that the closure could temporarily affect fuel prices for consumers, but insisted the impact would be manageable.
Asked whether Americans could face higher fuel costs, he replied: “For a little while.”
Despite concerns over the energy market, Trump claimed the broader US economy and financial markets had remained resilient during the standoff.
“The stock market is at an all time high,” he said.
“I thought oil would go up to maybe $200 a barrel. And oil is at a very different number than anyone thought.”
The President also argued that strong domestic energy production has helped cushion the impact of tensions in the Gulf region.
“We’re putting out right now more oil and gas than we ever have in the history of our country,” Trump said.
“Ships are coming from all over the world to Texas, Louisiana and Alaska to get oil from the United States while this is closed,” he added.
Trump linked the continued pressure campaign against Iran to wider security concerns, particularly Washington’s longstanding opposition to Tehran developing nuclear weapons capabilities.
“You can’t let them have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran over sanctions, regional security issues and Tehran’s nuclear programme. The latest comments from Trump suggest Washington is prepared to continue exerting economic and strategic pressure on Iran for an extended period if negotiations fail to produce an agreement.
Trump also indicated there was no immediate urgency to resolve the dispute, suggesting that Iran would continue to face mounting economic pressure as restrictions on oil flows remain in place.
“I don’t want to rush it,” he said. “We have plenty of time.”
The comments are likely to add further uncertainty to global energy markets, with analysts closely watching developments around the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply passes each day.
