LOS ANGELES (OC).–President Donald Trump’s strategy to blockade all Iranian ports has finally gotten Iran’s attention, now that they can’t get their crude oil and natural gas out of the country. Trump played fired-with-fire and beat Iran at its own game. Iran thought it could get away with its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz preventing Arab Gulf States from delivering petroleum, liquefied natural gas and petroleum to markets around the planet. Qatar is the world’s second larges producer of helium a byproduct from liquefied natural gas production. Qatar is responsible for about 35% of the world’s supply of helium, an essential chemical needed to cool MRI machines and other industrial equipment largely in the medical industry. Supply shortanges and skyrocketing prices have already occurred in six weeks of war with Iran. Trump knows the shortages can’t last much longer.
Sending in the U.S. navy to blockade Iranian ports was a bold move by Trump, showing the turnaround is fair play. Iran demanded in Islamabad peace talks that the U.S. recognize Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump and the U.S. delegation led by Vice President J.D. Vance reject Iran’s demands, saying it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz of all commercial traffic. Iran has been selectively extorting shipping companies for $2 million each tanker or freighter for transiting the Hormuz Strait. Trump’s new blockade bans any ship from passage that’s cut illicit deals with Iran. Iran wants to turn the Strait of Hormuz into a turnpike and levy whatever tolls it wants to commercial shipping. Trump says no to Iran’s selective use of illegal payments to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Returning the Strait to a global commercial waterway is top priority.
Returning to Islamabad, Iran knows it has limited options, knowing it can’t return to full-scale war with the risk of destroying its energy infrastructure. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked Trump personally to give Iran two weeks to find a way to end the Iran War. Iran rejected the U.S. demands to end its nuclear enrichment program. Vice President J.D. Vance rejected Iran offer to continue enriching uranium. But when it comes to setting priorities, it’s more important know for Trump to get the Strait of Hormuz opened Whatever happens to Iran’s nuke or ballistic missile programs, getting the Strait of Hormuz open to all commercial ships should be Trump’s top priority in any peace talks. Trump can always return to war if he sees Iran threatening the region and world with its nuke program. Assuring safe passage for ships is nowTrump’s top priority
Trump’s thinks the war objectives with Iran are largely over after destroying much of Iran’s military, including its nuke program, ballistic missile manufacturing and navy. What’s left now is cutting a deal in Islamabad to open up the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, getting Iran to agree to stop attacking transiting ships. Wasting more time in Islamabad trying to get everything, including, confiscating any enriched uranium stockpile does not serve U.S. interests. Trump needs the public to come onboard seeing the war as a booming success. Democrats and the fake news have spent 24/7 ripping Trump’s war, saying he had no plan or goals in mind. Well, disarming Iran was worthy itself but the real issue involved reducing Iran’s terrorist threat to the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and all other Arab Gulf States know that Iran is a dangerous enemy, attacking the Arab Gulf States
Wall Street no longer sees the war as an impediment to growth, believing the end to the war is drawing near. Iran really has no choice but to end the war giving Trump’s threats to start destroying Iran’s energy infrastructure has given Iran pause to keep the war going. Iran’s has few options left other than agreeing in Islamabad to open up the Strait of Hormuz. However long the mullah regime lasts, Trump can’t predict the future other than to say what Iran has done in the past. When it comes to its nuclear enrichment program, Trump can expect Iran at some future point to reconstitute the program, despite its current level of destruction. All the B-2 strikes on Iran’s nuke facilities, it’s going to take years for Iran to rebuild its nuke program. Trump sees the biggest threat to world peace and stability as an open Strait of Hormuz. Iran knows it can on longer play around in Islamabad.
Iran threatens to block the entire Persian Gulf if the U.S. doesn’t stop its blockade of Iranian ports but how can Iran stop the U.S. Iran has been all bravado, basing its military prowess on largely smoke-and-mirrors. Now that Iran has no military to speak of, it returns to Islamabad with a different set of priorities, largely to survive regime change. No popular movment has arisen in Iran to oust the mullah government. With the Basij militia and Republic Guaurds firmly in control, there’s little place for revolution to take place. Trump has already made inroads with the Iranian Kurds to work toward regime change in the future. When the U.S. delegation returns to Islamabad, they need to focus on immediate concerns to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s cannot be allowed to declare sovereignty over the Strait or any other international watcrway.
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.
