President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the U.S. will escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, as he has expressed little hope about accepting Tehran’s recent proposal to end the ongoing war.
Trump announced that the U.S. would begin guiding the ships on Monday. He claims this decision came down to other countries, which he didn’t name but mentioned were not directly involved in the conflict, requesting the U.S. assistance in freeing up ships trapped in the passage.
“For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president also acknowledged that there were still discussions taking place with Iran, which he said “could lead to something very positive for all.”
“The Ship movement is merely meant to free up people, companies, and Countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong — They are victims of circumstance. This is a Humanitarian gesture on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran,” Trump said.
Trump added that if the U.S.’ efforts to guide ships is interrupted, it will “have to be dealt with forcefully.”
The price of oil dropped 2% following Trump’s announcement Sunday.
Trump’s announcement comes as a cargo ship near the strait was attacked Sunday morning by multiple small craft, according to the British military.
“I once again call for these reckless actions to cease and for any ships and innocent seafarers to be released immediately,” the organization’s Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement at the time.
Senator Jack Reed, the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed his belief that the United States is in a significantly worse position with Iran since the war began and expressed skepticism about Trump’s ability to achieve his stated objectives.
“We’re in, in many respects, a much worse position,” Reed told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. “The regime in Tehran is probably more hostile and fanatical than the one that we replaced … We have not yet resolved the issue of nuclear material in Iran. So this has been a tactical demonstration of prowess, but has not achieved the strategic goal that the president announced, and he seems not to have a plan to achieve those goals.”
