Opening the Strait of Hormuz: Trump's Vulgar Pressure – Where Does His Confidence Come From?

After the miraculous rescue of a second U.S. crew member in peril, President Donald Trump on the 5th unleashed another rare outburst of vulgar language to pressure Iran: Iran must immediately open the Strait of Hormuz, or else the U.S. military will launch massive strikes on Iran’s power plants and bridges and other critical infrastructure on April 7.

In a post on his social media platform "Truth Social," Trump wrote: "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day for Iran—everything will happen simultaneously, absolutely unprecedented! Open that damn strait, you lunatics, or you’ll be plunged into hell—just watch!"

On the previous day, April 4, Trump had already declared: "Remember when I gave Iran 10 days to reach an agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz? Time is running out—within 48 hours, hell will descend upon them."

The Strait of Hormuz carries about one-fifth of global oil trade. Since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on February 28, Iran has effectively blocked the strait in retaliation against both nations.

Yet while Trump threatens Iran with vulgar rhetoric and promises to "destroy everything," he simultaneously told American media that he still has confidence, citing ongoing negotiations between the two sides.

According to Fox News Channel reporting on April 5, President Trump told reporters that there was "a very good chance" of reaching an agreement with Iran tomorrow, April 6.

In a phone interview with Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, Trump revealed that the Iranians negotiating with the U.S.—who are also participants in reaching an agreement—have been granted limited amnesty.

Trump also stated that Iran is attempting to delay the timeline for the agreement, which explains why the U.S. military destroyed Iran’s largest bridge last week.

Previously, Trump had set April 6 as the deadline, but on Sunday he posted again, specifying the time: "8 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, April 7."

Iranian officials have not publicly indicated that the two sides are close to an agreement. However, both Iran and the U.S. have confirmed that over the past two weeks, indirect communications have taken place through mediators.

Diplomatic efforts in the Middle East are intensifying, with Egypt and Pakistan involved in mediating U.S.-Iran talks. Egypt’s Foreign Minister held a phone call with U.S. envoy Brian Whitaker on the evening of Saturday, April 4, and separately spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and regional counterparts including those from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Turkey.

Iranian state media also confirmed that Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian had spoken with his Egyptian and Pakistani counterparts on Saturday.

Although Iran’s position remains uncertain, signs suggest Iran may be partially unblocking the strait, allowing passage for vessels carrying basic supplies.

Evidence comes from a letter cited by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency on the 5th, stating that ships bound for Iranian ports—including those currently in the Gulf of Oman—must coordinate with Iranian authorities and comply with established procedures before passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Other reports indicate that on Sunday, April 5, an oil tanker carrying crude from Iraq sailed through the Strait of Hormuz near Iran’s coast. The previous day, Iran had announced it would allow merchant vessels from neighboring Iraq to pass through this vital maritime chokepoint without attack.

Over the past few days, three commercial vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, including an Omani-operated oil tanker, a French-owned container ship, and a Japanese-owned natural gas carrier.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper convened a meeting with more than 40 countries on Thursday, April 2, to discuss coordinated action aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and preventing Iran from "holding the global economy hostage."

According to a press release issued by the UK Foreign Office, the meeting discussed several areas for potential collective coordination, including: 1) increasing international diplomatic pressure on Iran; 2) exploring coordinated economic and political measures such as sanctions; 3) collaborating with the International Maritime Organization to ensure thousands of vessels and crews trapped in the Strait are released and shipping resumes; and 4) establishing joint arrangements to strengthen market and operational confidence.

European diplomats said the formation of the alliance is still in its early stages, led currently by the UK and France, with the U.S. not participating. Next-phase talks will take place next week, during which military planners will discuss potential mine-clearing operations and various options for providing security forces for commercial shipping.

French Armed Forces spokesperson Guillaume Vernet said on Thursday that the process would proceed in phases and could only begin after hostilities cease. Ultimately, coordination with Iran would be required to ensure vessel safety—but this currently seems unlikely. He also noted that discussions have already begun regarding what military assets can be provided. "We need to gather enough ships, and ensure coordination in the air and at sea, along with shared intelligence capabilities."

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1861669606158348/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author