LOS ANGELES (OC).–Promising to blockade the Strait of Hormuz with U.S. warships, President Donald Trump countered Iran’s refusal in Islamabad to agree to give up their pursuit of a nuclear weapons. After nearly six weeks of war, Iran has very little left of its nuclear enrichment program that once enriched uranium hexoflouride gas to over 60%, a step below weapons grade material. In his first term, Trump cancelled May 8, 2018 former President Barack Obama’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that limited Iran’s enrichment to 3.5%, the level used as fuel in nuclear reactors. Obama officials claim they limited Iran’s nuclear enrichment activity but had no vehichle for verification or enforcement. Trump saw Irans using it new found cash to spread terrorism around the Middle East. Iran continues to resist any peace overtures made by Trump to end the Iran War.
Trump tells Iran it has no cards in the current negotiations in Pakistan, knowing, at any moment when diplomacy fails, he will resume bombing Iran’s energy infrastructure, something war experts say is a war crime. Trump countered that it’s a war crime to Iran to continue making near weapons grade uranium. Whether Iran can make any weapons grade material or not is anyone’s guess. After last years 12-day war with Israel and the U.S., it’s doubtful Iran can generate anymore centrifuge activity. Why would Iran insist on its right to enrich weapons grade material when it claims it has no intent of making an A-bomb. No matter how battered Iran’s mullah regime, they refuse to come to reason to open up the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s last ditch response is to practice terrorism the same as Houthi rebels or Somali pirates, all out of desperation to save the mullah regime.
Trump wants the Strait of Hormuz opened again for commercial shipping, allowing the Arab Gulf States to deliver their petroleum, natural gas and fertilizer to destinations around the globe. Iran’s current blockade, attacking ships with missiles and drones, in effect stop commercial shipping through the International waterway. Implementing his own blockade on the Hormuz Strait, Trump hopes to out-maneuver Iran, preventing it from attacking commercial ships transiting the Strait. “It’s called all it and all out,” Trump told Fox Business Maria Bartiroma, “They’ll be a time we’ll have them all come in and all come out, but it won’t be a percentage. It won’t be a friend of yours, like a country that’s your ally, or a country that your’s you friend. It is all or nothing,” Trump said. Iran is no match for the U.S. navy now getting a firm foothold in the Strait of Hormuz.
Observers at the Islamabad peace talks said the the U.S. delegation led by Vice President J.D. Vance were dictating terms of a peace deal to Iran. But, as Trump said, Iran doesn’t have any cards to dictate terms of any peace deal with the United States. Trump agreed to pause the war at the request of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who asked Trump to take a two-week pause to give diplomacy a chance. Trump agreed to pause the fighting but only if Iran was serious about opening up the Hormuz Strait. Iran has no sovereignty claim on the Persian Gulf or Strait of Horumuz but acts like they they can run the global waterway like their own Mickey Mouse Club. Iran’s desperate mullah regime operates now as a terrorist group, attacking commercial ships with impunity. Trump has every right to stop Iran’s madness by deploying the U.S. navy in the Strait.
“Trump plans to play Iran’s game and blockade the Strait of Hormuz with the U.S. navy. If Iran takes any aggressive action, look to Trump to order air strikes on Kharg Island and other energy sites around the country. Whatever the feckless response from the EU and NATO, Trump has taken it on himself to stop Iran’s terrorism in the Hormuz Strait. Iran’s mullah regime claims sovereignty to the Hormuz Strait, know full well it’s an international waterway. Firing missiles and drones at commercial ships is an act of piracy no different than Houthi rebels or Somali pirates. Iran knows that terrorism is all the they have left, with their military all but destroyed by five weeks of war with the U.S. and Israel. Ordering his own blockade, Trump wants Iran to know that it doesn’t have the cards to dictate policy in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s days are numbered.
Blockading the Strait of Hormuz should provoke Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps to take drastic action, like shooting missiles or drones at U.S. warships. U.S. warships are equipped with the latest deterrent technology to avert any attack by a foreign power. Whether as missile or drone gets through the defensive shield is anyone’s guess. Trump isn’t hesitating to confront Iran in Strait of Homuz and on the peace table in Islamabad. Whether anyone thinks Vice President J.D. Vance drove too hard a bargain, Trump was only willing to make so many compromises. Wall Street hoped the worst of the war was over. But with Iran rejecting U.S. demands on the pursuit of a nuclear weapon, Trump had no choice but to take more aggressive action. Why Iran needs in enriched uranium is anyone’s guess. Refusing to give it up to end the war shows Iran still has hopes of getting an A-bomb.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
