The Blockade Will Continue

By
Richard C. Young
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By Azam Askarian @ Adobe Stock

The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump has instructed aides that the blockade of Iranian ports will continue. Yesterday, Trump posted on Truth Social:

Iran has just informed us that they are in a “State of Collapse.” They want us to “Open the Hormuz Strait,” as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!). Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Today he followed it up with a post that threatened Iran to sign a “nonnuclear deal.”

United States Central Command (CENTCOM) reported yesterday that Marines had boarded the M/V Blue Star III, which was headed to Iran.

Former Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent criticized the blockade this morning on X.com, responding to Trump’s threatening post by writing:

Continuing the blockade puts far more pressure on us than on Iran. Iran has proven it can endure economic pain—it has been doing so since 1979. The blockade will not force Iran to abandon uranium enrichment, ballistic missiles, or its proxy networks.

Instead, the blockade is hurting the American people and creating serious domestic pressure on POTUS:

Gas prices will continue to rise as we head into the midterms, harming the working class voters who overwhelmingly backed Trump and Republicans—putting GOP majorities in serious jeopardy.

Staging three carrier battle groups plus a massive build up of airpower in CENTCOM to enforce the blockade is unsustainable—it hands an emboldened IRGC ample opportunities to strike U.S. forces and drag America back into war on Iran’s terms.

The global fallout only increases the pressure on us, not Iran:

Beyond the oil and gas crisis, the blockade is now triggering a global fertilizer shortage that will cause major food security crises and potential famines in vulnerable regions.

The smarter path is clear: withdraw, declare victory, and use sanctions relief as our negotiating leverage with Iran. This resets the talks on our terms, avoids war, and prevents further escalation of the energy crisis at home and abroad.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained on Fox News that the blockade is not aimed at all transit through the Strait, on that headed to, or coming from, Iran.