Iran going fine as US holds Hormuz: Trump
Photo: REUTERS
US President Donald Trump told on Wednesday US forces maintain “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that the US Navy possesses unmatched capabilities.
He said at Joint Base Andrews, “Iran is going fine - going just absolutely fine. We totally control the Strait of Hormuz. We have control over it; nobody else, only us. Our navy is unbelievable, and things going great for our country.”
Expressing deep skepticism toward Tehran, he remarked, “I don’t trust Iran. I’m the last person to trust Iran; they’ve lied to me constantly. We have total control over the Hormuz Strait right now; they don’t have control.”
US military personnel recently disabled a Panama-flagged cargo ship that attempted to reach an Iranian port. After the vessel disregarded multiple warnings, US forces fired two Hellfire missiles at its steering gear, successfully neutralizing its movement.
CENTCOM reported that its forces have already redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, while also disabling three and boarding two others.
In response, Iran maintains a firm stance. Tehran demands a total cessation of the US-led war and blockade, the unfreezing of its assets, and a regional ceasefire as prerequisites for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, confirmed that the strategic waterway will remain shuttered until the United States meets all these conditions.
The conflict continues to ripple through the region as Yemen’s Houthis claimed of targeting a Saudi ship transporting military equipment in the Bab al-Mandeb strait. A separate Houthi attack on a commercial vessel resulted in the deaths of six people and left 10 others injured, according to reports from Yemen’s coastguard.
At the same time, the United Nations issued a grim warning regarding the occupied West Bank, stating the territory has reached a breaking point. Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator, noted that 76 Palestinians, including 18 minors, have lost their lives in the region this year.
Amidst the rising tension, diplomatic channels remain active. Qatar announced that negotiations between Oman and Iran regarding the future of maritime shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are showing significant progress.
Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran to engage with Iranian officials. His visit is part of a broader mediation effort aimed at halting the US-Israel war against Iran and resolving the deadlock over the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: Al Jazeera (adapted)
