US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a stern warning to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, saying the vital waterway would remain open to all. The US President’s comments came as the peace talks between the two countries are on the brink of failure amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. At the same time, the US military reportedly destroyed four Iranian drones in a nighttime attack on a military control center in the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas. On Monday, the US military also targeted Iranian missile launch sites and mine-laying boats.
Trump said in a press conference that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway and no country can dominate it. He further said that keeping this waterway open to all is an integral part of the current discussion. Trump warned that US ally Oman must behave like everyone else, otherwise the US will be forced to take tough measures against them too. Iran recently tried to collect taxes from ships passing through the strait and split the money with Oman.
The president also expressed deep concern over Iran’s efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. He made it clear that through Operation Epic Fury, the United States would ensure that one of the world’s top terror-producing nations would never acquire nuclear weapons. Trump has accused Iran of trying to delay the deal until the U.S. November midterm elections, saying he’s not worried about the election and just wants a flawless deal.
The head of Iran’s parliament’s National Security Committee, Ibrahim Aziji, responded to the US threat through X. He said that Trump’s statement will not deter Iran from its demands. Aziz said they would insist on uranium enrichment, control over the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of sanctions against Iran. According to him, Trump is oscillating between threats and calls for a deal to escape this strategic stalemate.
Since the outbreak of the Middle East war on February 28, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has virtually ceased, creating a severe global energy crisis. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy claimed that only 23 ships, including oil tankers and commercial vessels, had passed with their permission in the past 24 hours, down from between 125 and 140 a day before the conflict. The United States has called on Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan to sign the Abrahamic Accords to normalize relations with Israel to end the war, but these countries have refused. The situation in the Middle East is further complicated by the flexible stance of the two countries and the constant counter-attacks. Intense uncertainty remains over control of the Strait of Hormuz and the direction of a future peace deal.