Washington: US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that American forces are actively targeting and dismantling Iran's military capabilities associated with the Strait of Hormuz, while reinstating a blockade aimed specifically at the country.
According to Nam News Network, Trump emphasized that despite the escalating military actions, a diplomatic resolution with Tehran remains a possibility. "We're attacking them tonight, and we're taking out all of their capability for anything having to do with the Strait of Hormuz," Trump stated during a session with reporters at the White House. He accused Iran of repeatedly breaching an agreement that was on the verge of being finalized.
Trump elaborated on his accusations, saying, "They made a deal. They broke it - probably 10 times - and they killed a lot of people... They've been negotiating for 47 years, but nobody has ever hit them militarily. We're hitting them very hard." When asked if a deal with Iran is still possible, he expressed optimism, "Yeah, I think a deal is possible."
The president's comments came as the US executed a third consecutive night of military strikes against Iran, with the White House asserting that these operations are designed to impair Tehran's capability to endanger commercial shipping and regional stability in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump declared that the US was "knocking out all of" Iran's offensive capabilities and asserted control over the strait.
"We're putting the blockade back, and it's a blockade not for anybody but Iran. In other words, anybody doing business with Iran can't go through. Everyone else will be able to go through. So it's a blockade, a very strong blockade. The blockade was probably more effective even than hitting them, but I think the combination is the thing that really does," he added.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by asserting that Tehran would continue to act as the "guardian" of the Strait of Hormuz despite Trump's threats to impose fees on shipping in the crucial waterway.
Trump also mentioned the US's desire to seek reimbursement for what he described as protection efforts in the region. "I want to be reimbursed because we're protecting a very rich portion of the world. We're spending money, and so what we've done is we are going to be reimbursed for protection," he said, highlighting Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
Addressing reports regarding Iranian drones possibly stationed in Cuba, Trump assured, "If they do have that, and they might very well have that, we'll take care of it." He added, "If they do have that, we'll take care of it in short order. We're not going to have a problem. We're not going to allow that to happen. So it could be that they're storing some. We're looking into it now. It could be so, and it maybe isn't, but we'll figure it out fast."
