Trump negotiates with seven nations to secure Strait of Hormuz
Istanbul — US President Donald Trump stated that he is currently negotiating with seven nations to discuss efforts to secure maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to journalists aboard the presidential aircraft Air Force One regarding Operation “Epic Fury” on Sunday (15 March), Trump confirmed that the US Government has been holding discussions with several countries regarding the Strait of Hormuz the previous evening.
One of the countries being invited to participate is China, which Trump noted receives 90 per cent of its crude oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
“They get their oil, a lot of it, about 90 per cent, from that strait. So I asked them, ‘Do you want to join in?’. We’ll see. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t,” the US President said.
Regarding Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Trump claimed that a video on social media showing 250,000 people cheering in support of Khamenei was an artificial intelligence (AI) fabrication and “never happened”.
“It’s definitely AI fabrication and never happened. The media knows it didn’t happen, but they report it as if he has massive support. He has no support from anyone,” he stated.
Trump also guaranteed that oil prices would decline once the war ends, whilst emphasising that the conflict with Iran would end “soon”.
The Strait of Hormuz, which stretches from Iran in the north to the Musandam Peninsula in Oman at its southern point, is one of the world’s most critical maritime routes for global energy supplies.
Iran has effectively closed the strait since early March following a combined US-Israeli strike on 28 February, which has resulted in 1,300 deaths to date, including Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The disruption to maritime passage through the strait has triggered increases in global oil and fertiliser prices, raising concerns about energy supplies and food prices.
On Saturday, President Trump stated that nations obtaining their oil from this strategic waterway must take responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz, whilst ensuring assistance from the United States. He previously indicated that US Navy escorts for tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz could commence in the near future.