Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s proposals, stating that the naval blockade on Iran will remain in place until Tehran agrees to a nuclear deal that addresses Washington’s concerns.
In an interview with Axios, Trump dismissed Iran’s proposal, which suggested reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the blockade first, with nuclear negotiations to follow later.
According to sources, the United States Central Command has prepared plans for “short and powerful” strikes against Iran in an effort to break the current deadlock in negotiations.
The report said the potential strikes could target Iran’s key infrastructure, after which the United States would seek to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table and press for greater flexibility.
Trump said he considers the blockade “somewhat more effective” than bombing, although sources indicated that as of Tuesday night, he had not authorized any military action.
Sources added that Trump currently views the blockade as the primary means of pressure on Iran, but military action remains an option if Tehran does not change its position.
During the interview, Trump claimed that Iran wants an agreement to secure the lifting of sanctions and the blockade, saying: “They want to settle the issue. They do not want me to keep the blockade in place. I do not want to lift it because I do not want them to have nuclear weapons.”
Trump also asserted that Iran’s oil reserves and pipelines are “close to bursting” because it is unable to export oil under the blockade, though some experts dispute that assessment.
