U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States will likely take control of the Strait of Hormuz and should be compensated for theblockade of this vital maritime channel.
“We will hold the strait and will likely manage it. We’ll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we’ll have to be compensated for that,” he said in a phone interview with Fox News.
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The Houthis attacked airports in Saudi Arabia
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes, has become one of the main flashpoints in the conflict. Iran’s de facto blockade of the strait has caused energy prices to rise and is fueling concerns about inflation worldwide.
“We’ll guard it. We’ll get paid to guard it—a lot of money,” said Mr. Trump, adding that other countries “are very rich” and the U.S. cannot be expected to take on this role without compensation.
Tehran announced on Saturday the closure of the waterway, following a passage it described as unauthorized. On Sunday, it stated that passage remains suspended and that permits will be issued once “stability and calm” are restored.
Referring to the agreement with Iran, the U.S. President said that “we had a deal” which, he claimed, Tehran had violated, warning that the U.S. would respond “very harshly.”
The Revolutionary Guards stated on Monday that the only way to restore normal shipping through the strait is to end U.S. military operations in the region. They also warned that continued U.S. involvement would cause greater turmoil in the global oil and natural gas markets.
U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged heavy strikes with missiles and drones over the weekend and on Monday. Tehran announced that it had struck U.S. military installations in the Gulf and kept the Strait of Hormuz closed, a move that drove up oil prices.
This new escalation casts doubt on the interim agreement signed by the U.S. and Iran in June, aimed at reopening the strait, a suspension of hostilities, and the continuation of negotiations for another 60 days.
Source: KYPE
