Donald Trump’s Strait of Hormuz strategy: What US President could be attempting to achieve
Donald Trump has closed the world’s busiest oil waterway after failed peace talks with Iran. The latest development in the war between the United States and Iran will have major global implications, with Middle East oil largely cut off.
“Effective immediately, the U.S. Navy, the Best Navy in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKING all Ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“At some point we will reach the baseline of ‘everyone is allowed in, everyone is allowed out’, but Iran did not allow there to be a mine that no one knew about but them, just by saying ‘There might be a mine in there somewhere.’
Stating that there is no shortage of oil supply, Trump told the countries that purchase the oil passing through the Bosphorus to change the place of purchase and come directly to the USA.
There are three important goals his movement is trying to achieve.
He cut Iran’s negotiation card
Iran has long used the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining tool. The world needs this and Iran knows it.
When Iran is not at war or imposing restrictions, about 34 percent of its offshore oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the International Energy Agency.
Now, due to the blockade, Iran is prevented from selling its oil or charging international carriers for safe passage.
If no ship is allowed to enter or exit, Iran’s influence will be cut off.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump said Tehran had withdrawn from the negotiating table after extensive talks between the United States and Iran in Pakistan.
“I predict they will come back and give us everything we want,” Mr. Trump said.
Destroy underwater mines
Iran says underwater mines have been placed in the Strait of Hormuz.
Although the US claims to have sunk most of the Iranian navy, smaller boats appear to have survived the early days of Operation Epic Fury.
These small boats are believed to have been used to place underwater mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
During the war, Mr. Trump told Truth Social: “If, for whatever reason, mines were placed and not immediately removed, the military consequences for Iran would be unprecedented.”
Mines create a nightmare problem for the Bosphorus. When the location of the mine is not clear, ships can be affected and decimated; This is a situation that most shipping companies do not like to take risks.
It is believed that the only available options for crossing the Strait of Hormuz are narrow shipping lanes.
Now, following the announcement of the blockade, the US has confirmed that it will take action to eliminate the underwater mine threat.
“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began determining conditions for demining the Strait of Hormuz on April 11 while two U.S. Navy guided missile destroyers conducted operations,” CENTCOM said in a statement. he said.
“USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) transited the Strait of Hormuz and operated in the Persian Gulf as part of a larger mission to ensure that the strait was completely cleared of naval mines previously laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper added: “Today, we began the process of creating a new gateway and will soon share this safe path with the maritime industry to promote the free flow of commerce.”
When the mines are eventually removed and the ships return, the United States can use this as leverage against Iran or the world.
Increase sales of US oil
Mr. Trump had long campaigned for “drill, baby, drill,” an election promise that he said would unlock “liquid gold” underground.
Since returning to office, Mr. Trump has also “seized control” of Venezuela following a high-risk operation that kidnapped the country’s president and his wife.
Since then, Venezuela has “gifted” millions of barrels of oil to the United States.
Over the weekend, Mr. Trump went on Truth Social to reveal that empty oil tankers were heading to the United States.
“Large numbers of completely empty oil tankers, some of the largest anywhere in the world, are currently en route to the United States to load the best and ‘sweetest’ oil and gas anywhere in the world,” Mr. Trump wrote.
In his address to the nation last week, Mr. Trump shared his message to countries facing oil supply disruptions.
“I have a suggestion for the countries that can’t get fuel, most of whom refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, we had to do it ourselves,” he began.
“First, buy oil from the United States; we have plenty of it. There is so much of it.”
“And Second, muster your overdue courage… go to the Bosphorus and take it. Protect it. Use it for yourselves. Most of Iran has been destroyed. The hard part is done.”
