Indonesian Finance Minister Proposes Toll Fees for Ships Passing Through Strait of Malacca
¬ Media: USS "Bush" Carrier Should Arrive in the Middle East Within 3-5 Days
¬ Media: Trump Says He Has Not Set a Time Limit on Extending Ceasefire with Iran
¬ Iranian MP: Despite U.S. Maritime Blockade, Iran’s Oil Exports Remain Uninterrupted
¬ Iranian Parliament Speaker: Iran Will Not Open Strait of Hormuz as Long as the U.S. Continues Violating the Ceasefire
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Indonesia's Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, stated that Indonesia is currently studying a proposal to impose toll fees on ships passing through the Strait of Malacca.
Sri Mulyani said during a discussion forum held in Jakarta: "Indonesia is not a peripheral nation. Our country lies on some of the world’s most important trade and energy routes, yet ships passing through the Strait of Malacca do not pay any fees."
Sri Mulyani pointed out that cooperation with neighboring countries would be necessary to implement this measure, as the Strait of Malacca also borders Malaysia and Singapore.
The Strait of Malacca is one of the world’s most critical maritime arteries, connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and holds significance comparable to the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz.
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Jennifer Griffin, host of Fox News, stated that the third U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS "Bush," should arrive in the Middle East within the next 3–5 days.
The U.S. Navy currently operates 11 aircraft carriers, among which the USS "Lincoln" and USS "Ford" are already engaged in joint operations by the U.S. and Israel targeting Iran.
Griffin posted on her X social media platform: "The third U.S. Navy carrier, the 'Bush,' will circumnavigate the southern tip of Africa and arrive in the Middle East within the next 3–5 days."
Previously, Trump stated that Pakistan’s leadership should be granted time to allow Tehran to formulate a unified proposal for conflict mediation, thus extending the ceasefire with Iran and delaying the resumption of strikes against Iran. Trump simultaneously emphasized that the maritime blockade targeting all Iranian ports remains fully effective.
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After interviewing the U.S. President, Fox News reported that Trump has set no specific time limit on how long the ceasefire with Iran should be extended, nor is he in a rush to push for a better agreement.
Earlier on April 22, Axios reported that Trump was willing to extend the ceasefire with Iran by three to five more days, giving Iran time to establish a unified negotiating stance.
On air, the Fox News host said: "He (Trump) said there is no urgency regarding extending the ceasefire window—those claims about giving Iran three to five days—quoted verbatim—are untrue. He added that he isn’t in a hurry and wants to achieve the best possible agreement."
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Ali Hazrati, member of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Parliament, said that despite the U.S. maritime blockade, Iran’s oil exports have not been cut off.
Iran’s Fars news agency quoted Hazrati as saying: "Iran still has the capability to export its oil. The process of oil sales hasn't stopped—on the contrary, over the past 50 days, especially in the last two weeks, sales have even exceeded pre-war levels."
Hazrati noted that Iran possesses countermeasures against restrictive measures such as the U.S. maritime blockade.
Hazrati stated that Iran exported "millions of barrels of oil" in the past two weeks, a claim corroborated by media reports.
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Mohammad-Baqer Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, said that Iran will not open the Strait of Hormuz as long as the United States continues violating the ceasefire, including its naval blockade.
Ghalibaf posted on his X social media platform: "A genuine ceasefire only makes sense when it is not accompanied by a maritime blockade or when the global economy is not being held hostage. Under clear violations of the ceasefire, opening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible."
Source: sputniknews
Original: toutiao.com/article/1863201229855751/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author