Iran defiant on Strait as Trump tells Americans to accept high fuel prices

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States maintains full control over the Strait of Hormuz and asserts that Iran has no means to challenge this. He declared, "the United States has complete control over the Strait of Hormuz. I think we are going to keep it. Our naval blockade is called by everyone ‘the Wall of Steel,’ and there is nothing Iran can do about it."

Trump further stated that Iran's military capabilities are nonexistent, with no navy, air force, or well-paid soldiers, and the Revolutionary Guard is in retreat. He added that the country's leadership is uncertain, it lacks funds, and it is facing significant challenges such as 300% inflation. Trump's statements came after Iran's refusal to extend a ceasefire agreement with the U.S., stating that the U.S. had violated the interim agreement and withdrawn from it.

The negotiations are focused on a return to the memorandum of understanding, a topic Iran has previously rejected. Trump had previously threatened Tehran, demanding compensation for the damage caused during the war, including for the hundreds of thousands of protesters Iran killed over the past five months. He also mentioned that Iran should be held accountable for the damage and deaths in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza.

The memorandum of understanding signed between the U.S. and Iran includes a clause for a $300 billion program to fund Iran's reconstruction and economic development, but Zol-Qadr, a senior Iranian official, has made clear that the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened until the U.S. addresses its behavior and addresses Iran's concerns.