Donald Trump has warned Iran against “blackmailing” the US after it backtracked on its decision to open the Strait of Hormuz. The US President declared, “They can’t blackmail us”, as he repeated claims that Washington had eliminated most of the country’s leadership, navy and air force.
He said: “We’re having very good talks. It’s working very well – they’ve become a bit cute as they’ve been doing for 47 years. They wanted to close the strait again, as they’ve been doing for years, they can’t blackmail us. By the end of the day we’ll have some information. We’re talking to them, we’re taking a tough stance.”
Tehran is now asking ships to pay to pass through the strait after again closing the vital waterway.
A statement from the Supreme National Security Council, shared by Fars news agency, said Iran would monitor and control traffic through the shipping route “until the war definitively ends” and lasting peace is achieved.
Before they are allowed through the strait, they must send complete information about the ship to Iran and obtain a certificate of passage.
Iran’s Joint Military Command said on Saturday that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous position under the strict management and control of the armed forces.”
It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect. The military statement accused the US of “piracy”, saying its “so-called blockade” amounted to piracy.
Khatam al-Anbiya, the Iranian military’s operational command, said: “Until the US restores full freedom of navigation for ships of Iranian origin to a destination and from a destination back to Iran, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain strictly controlled and in its previous state.”
The announcement came in the morning after Mr Trump said that even after Iran announced Friday it would reopen the strait, the US blockade “will continue in its entirety” until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including over its nuclear programme.
Movement through the main waterway increased slightly this morning, with several shipping vessels seen, although it is unclear how much maritime activity actually occurred.
