By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and the US blockade has been effective, while Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would not reopen the waterway until Washington fulfilled commitments under a 14-point MoU
Trump on Thursday threatened economic punishment against any country whose banks, businesses, airports or government entities continue to provide Iran with what he called a “lifeline”.
Washington’s latest pressure push against Iran is extending far beyond Tehran.
Trump branded the planned campaign an “Economic D-Day” and said it would amount to the “most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country”.
He warned that he puts financial channels, oil networks and entities dealing with Iran directly in the firing line of the new US threat.
Trump in a Truth Social post blamed Tehran for failing to reach a deal despite what he described as opportunities offered by Washington.
“No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me. TRAGICALLY, for them, they have failed to take it,” Trump said.
He followed that with a sweeping warning.
“Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” he wrote.
Trump also painted a bleak picture of Iran’s military and economy, claiming its navy was gone, its air force destroyed, military factories reduced to rubble and its currency rendered worthless.
He turned his warning towards countries continuing to deal with Tehran.
“Today, I am also announcing that ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences,” he said.
Trump singled out several channels that he said must be shut down. These included oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies.
“Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies It all needs to stop NOW,” he wrote.
Trump called on US allies to join the effort to economically isolate Iran.
“You know who you are. This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat,” he said.
Trump added “These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide.”.
He also repeated his position on Tehran’s nuclear programme: “IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.”
The announcement followed Trump’s earlier comments that Washington had additional sanctions at its disposal.
He said: “We have things that we could sanction. We have very draconian sanctions, and we’ll see what happens,” when asked about further action against Iran.
Trump also claimed the Strait of Hormuz remained open and that a US naval blockade had been effective.
“Right now the Strait is open. A lot of boats are coming through,” he said.
“The naval blockade has been extremely effective the blockade has been 100 per cent successful,” he added.
Trump argued that fears of a dramatic oil price spike had not materialised.
“They were talking about USD 350 a barrel, and it’s today 84, 85. And we are getting a lot of oil out,” he said.
He pointed to higher production from Texas, Alaska and Louisiana, as well as new pipelines, while arguing that dependence on the key energy route had diminished.
“I think the Hormuz Strait is not going to be quite as important as it was in the past,” Trump said.
Trump had left open the possibility of renewed negotiations with Tehran despite the latest economic threat.
On peace talks he said: “Maybe at some point, but right now I think the situation is so good.”
Media reports cited in the source said the US negotiating team had been asked to pause talks until Iran was “ready to make a deal”.
Trump had also said that no negotiations were currently scheduled.
Iran has attached conditions to any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would not reopen the waterway until the United States met commitments under a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding. The demands include lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets, and easing oil sanctions.
