WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump warned Iran against attempting to blackmail the United States by reclosing the Strait of Hormuz, stating that Tehran could not use the strategic waterway to pressure Washington, the White House said on Saturday.
Trump made the remarks at a White House event after Iran announced it was reimposing restrictions on the strait and reported that its forces had fired on vessels attempting to transit the passage. The comments followed Iran’s brief declaration on Friday that the strait was “completely open” to commercial shipping during a ceasefire related to Lebanon.
“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.
Iran’s joint military command and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf cited the continued U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports as the reason for reversing the reopening. Iranian officials described the U.S. action as a violation of the terms surrounding the Lebanon ceasefire.
The United States has maintained its blockade on vessels linked to Iranian ports, with Trump stating it would remain in effect until broader agreements, including on Iran’s nuclear program, are reached.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and significant liquefied natural gas shipments.
Iranian armed forces said transit would remain under strict control as long as the U.S. blockade continued. Shipping sources and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that vessels turned back after incidents involving Iranian gunboats on Saturday.
Trump said the U.S. was engaged in “very good conversations” with Iran but indicated that the ceasefire, due to expire on Wednesday, might not be extended without a deal.
Iranian officials have not commented directly on Trump’s “blackmail” accusation as of early Sunday. Tehran has previously said differences with Washington remain.
The developments followed months of tensions in the region, during which shipping through the strait has faced repeated disruptions.
As of Sunday, no further statements had been issued by the U.S. State Department or Iranian foreign ministry on the latest exchanges. Shipping traffic in the area remained limited, with mariners receiving warnings from Iranian forces, according to maritime reports.
