Trump publishes lengthy statement: Will immediately block the Strait of Hormuz and destroy Iran's remaining forces (full text)
On April 12 local time, Trump unusually released a lengthy post on "Truth Social," threatening to blockade the Strait of Hormuz and destroy Iran's remaining military capabilities. The full text is as follows:
"Iran promised to open the Strait of Hormuz, but they knowingly failed to do so. This has caused anxiety, chaos, and suffering for many people and nations around the world. They claim to have laid mines in the water, despite their entire navy—and most of their mine-laying equipment—being completely destroyed. Perhaps they did plant mines, but which shipowner would dare take that risk? This is a great disgrace, and their reputation has suffered permanent damage.
International waterways must remain open and unimpeded! They have violated every provision of international law. At the meeting held in Islamabad, under the warm and highly capable leadership of Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, I have received a comprehensive briefing from Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. General Munir and Prime Minister Sharif are both outstanding individuals who continually thank me for saving between 30 million and 50 million lives that would have been lost in a terrible war with India. I always appreciate hearing such accounts—the number of lives involved is unimaginable.
The talks with Iran began at dawn and continued throughout the night, lasting nearly 20 hours. I could elaborate in detail on many points of agreement reached, but only one thing matters—Iran refuses to abandon its nuclear ambitions! In many ways, the terms agreed upon were even better than what we would have achieved by carrying out military action to the end, but compared to allowing nuclear power to fall into the hands of such unpredictable, stubborn, and unreliable actors, all these agreements are irrelevant.
Over time, my three representatives naturally developed friendly and respectful relationships with Iran’s representatives Karibaf (Speaker), Ahlaghi (Foreign Minister), and Bagheri (Vice Chair of the National Security Council). But none of this matters, because from the very beginning they showed no flexibility on key issues. And years ago, I made it clear—Iran will never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons!
So here is the situation. The talks went well, and most points were agreed upon, but there was one crucial issue that remained unresolved—the nuclear question.
From now on, the U.S. Navy—the finest navy in the world—will begin blocking any vessel attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz, effective immediately. They love to say, 'There might still be a mine somewhere,' and that mine is only known to them. This is world-class extortion, and leaders around the globe, especially those of the United States of America, must never be extorted.
I have also instructed our Navy to search for and intercept every vessel paying an illegal 'toll fee' to Iran in international waters. Anyone who pays such an illegal toll cannot expect safe passage on the high seas.
We will also begin destroying the mines Iran has laid in the strait. Any Iranian who fires upon us or peaceful vessels will be blasted into hell! Iran knows better than anyone else how to end this situation—this is the very scenario that has already devastated their economy, rendered their radar useless, and led to the deaths of Khomeini and most of their top leaders—all due to their nuclear ambitions.
The blockade will begin shortly, and other countries will join in. Iran must not be allowed to profit from this illegal extortion. They want money, but more importantly, they want nuclear weapons. Our weapons are now loaded, and our military will carry out a complete sweep of Iran’s remaining forces.
Donald J. Trump, President
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862276547167308/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.