Donald Trump has issued a furious statement in which he claimed Iran is 'choking like a stuffed pig' as the United States maintains its blockade on Iranian ports. The US President dismissed Tehran’s recent proposal to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, insisting that nuclear restrictions must be part of any agreement from the outset.
Reports indicate that Iran suggested reopening the waterway in exchange for delaying nuclear negotiations. However, US officials said this would remove a key element of American leverage, and Mr Trump told Axios: 'The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing. They are choking like a stuffed pig. And it is going to be worse for them.'
Mr Trump claimed Iran wants to settle in order to lift the blockade, but he refused, saying: 'I don't want them to have a nuclear weapon.' He added that Iran's oil storage and pipelines 'are getting close to exploding' because Tehran cannot export oil due to US restrictions.
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump wrote: 'Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!' Earlier, he claimed Iran had informed the US that they are 'in a state of collapse' and want to reopen the Hormuz Strait.
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, President Trump has chosen to persist with measures blocking shipping traffic entering or leaving Iranian ports, adding further pressure to the region’s trade routes. Oil prices have steadily risen as Iran maintains its own control over the Strait of Hormuz while the US enforces restrictions on access to nearby ports.
