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US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Iran not to "blackmail" Washington with its flip-flopping on the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran declared the strategic waterway once again closed.
"We're talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again -- you know, as they've been doing for years -- and they can't blackmail us," Trump said at a White House event.
His remarks followed a sharp escalation in the region after Iran reversed its decision to reopen the strait and reportedly fired on a tanker attempting to pass through the narrow waterway. Tehran has said it will continue restricting transit as long as a US blockade on Iranian ports remains in place.
Iran’s joint military command said “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces,” signalling tighter oversight of the key maritime route.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, two gunboats linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait. The vessel and its crew were reported safe, though shipping trackers said multiple ships, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, were forced to turn back.
The escalation comes after Trump said the US naval blockade would remain “in full force” until Iran agrees to a broader deal, including curbs on its nuclear programme. Tehran had briefly reopened the strait a day earlier, following a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
Despite the renewed tensions, diplomatic efforts are continuing. Pakistani officials have indicated that Washington and Tehran are still edging closer to an agreement ahead of an April 22 ceasefire deadline.
The wider conflict has taken a heavy toll, with thousands reported killed across the region, including in Iran, Lebanon, Israel and Gulf states, as well as US personnel.
With inputs from agencies
"We're talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again -- you know, as they've been doing for years -- and they can't blackmail us," Trump said at a White House event.
His remarks followed a sharp escalation in the region after Iran reversed its decision to reopen the strait and reportedly fired on a tanker attempting to pass through the narrow waterway. Tehran has said it will continue restricting transit as long as a US blockade on Iranian ports remains in place.
Iran’s joint military command said “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces,” signalling tighter oversight of the key maritime route.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, two gunboats linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait. The vessel and its crew were reported safe, though shipping trackers said multiple ships, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, were forced to turn back.
The escalation comes after Trump said the US naval blockade would remain “in full force” until Iran agrees to a broader deal, including curbs on its nuclear programme. Tehran had briefly reopened the strait a day earlier, following a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
Despite the renewed tensions, diplomatic efforts are continuing. Pakistani officials have indicated that Washington and Tehran are still edging closer to an agreement ahead of an April 22 ceasefire deadline.
The wider conflict has taken a heavy toll, with thousands reported killed across the region, including in Iran, Lebanon, Israel and Gulf states, as well as US personnel.
With inputs from agencies
