Donald Trump said he was “permanently” reopening the Strait of Hormuz as he talked up new negotiations with Iran to end the war.
The US president predicted an “amazing two days ahead” amid hopes of another round of direct talks between America and the Tehran regime to turn a fragile ceasefire into a peace deal.
He posted on his Truth Social platform: “China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz.
“I am doing it for them, also - And the World. This situation will never happen again.”
But Iran has so far thwarted Trump’s attempts to prize open the key strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas is transported, by targeting more than 20 tankers.
So far, Trump has backed away from seeking to reopen the strait using military force.
However, the US is set to send thousands of more troops into the Middle East in coming days as the Trump administration attempts to pressure Iran into a deal, the Washington Post reported.
Trump is also under growing pressure in the US as the price of petrol and other bills are rising due to the conflict.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent admitted on Wednesday that the economy would be slower this quarter amid the Iran war, but insisted it was in good shape and would rebound.
Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer hit back at Trump’s latest criticism of his Government.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said he would not “yield” to pressure from Trump for Britain to play a more significant role in his Middle East conflict.
He was challenged by Sir Ed Davey to cancel King Charles’ visit to America at the end of the month.
The Liberal Democrat leader said: “In a phone call with Sky News last night, President Trump has threatened to rip up his trade deal with the UK as punishment for us not joining his idiotic war in Iran.
“Surely the Prime Minister can’t send our King to meet a man who treats our country like a mafia boss running a protection racket.”
With Trump having said the Special Relationship is in a “sad” state, Sir Keir responded in the Commons: “We are not going to get dragged into this war. It’s not our war.”
He added: “A lot of pressure has been applied to me to take a different course and that pressure included what happened last night.
“I’m not going to change my mind. I’m not going to yield.”
On the Royal trip, the PM explained: “In relation to the King’s visit, the purpose of the visit is to mark the 250th anniversary of relations and independence of the US.
“The monarchy is an important reminder of the longstanding bonds and enduring relationship between our two countries which are far greater than anyone who occupies any particular office at any particular time.”
Earlier, senior ministers hit out at Trump over his Iran war as millions of people in Britain face rising bills due to its economic fallout.
In what appeared to be a toughening of language against the US president, Chancellor Rachel Reeves branded the conflict a “folly”.
She accused the president of having had no exit strategy and going into the war “without a clear idea of what they were trying to achieve”.
Her Treasury deputy, James Murray, doubled down on the criticism.
“What makes us most frustrated and angry is the impact that it is having on people here in Britain,” the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and MP for Ealing North, told Sky News.
He stressed that earlier forecasts had predicted that inflation, mortgage rates, interest rates and borrowing were due to fall.
But a report by the International Monetary Fund showed the Government’s economic plans have been rocked by the Iran war, which has sparked the biggest-ever oil supply shock after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.
“Even though it’s not our war it’s going to have an impact on our economy,” Mr Murray stressed, with petrol and diesel prices rising sharply and ahead of May local elections in England when Labour is facing a hammering including in London.
Mortgage rates have risen and energy bills could increase by hundreds of pounds in the autumn.
The IMF analysis showed the UK is the hardest hit of the G7 major economies, the US, UK, Germany, Japan, France, Italy and Canada.
Trump has repeatedly clashed with Sir Keir over the war after he refused to allow US planes to fly from UK bases for the initial and offensive airstrikes.
The Government has let America use RAF bases for “defensive” missions, such as striking Iranian missile sites, and for action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In his latest criticism of Sir Keir, the US president told Sky News that Britain was making a “tragic mistake” on not opening up more North Sea oil drilling and on immigration.
Pressed on the Special Relationship, Trump added: “With who?” according to the report, and suggested that America could seek to change the trade deal with Britain.
Earlier, Ms Reeves, speaking in Washington, had told The Mirror: “I feel very frustrated and angry that the US went into this war without a clear exit plan, without a clear idea of what they were trying to achieve."
At a meeting of the IMF, she was due to meet Mr Bessent after he said “a small bit of economic pain” caused by the Iran war was worth it to prevent Tehran getting a nuclear weapon.
The United States said on Wednesday that its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, while Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week, sending oil prices down for a second day.
He suggested that the war is “close to over” and that it was “very possible" a deal with Iran would be reached by the time King Charles visits the US between April 27 and 30.
But his rhetoric has often not matched the reality on the ground.
About 5,000 people have died in the hostilities, including about 3,000 in Iran and 2,000 in Lebanon.
Trump said negotiations between US and Iranian officials could resume in Pakistan in the next two days and Vice President JD Vance, who led weekend talks that ended without a breakthrough, said he felt positive about where things stood.
"I think you’re going to be watching an amazing two days ahead," Trump told ABC News, adding he did not think it would be necessary to extend a two-week ceasefire that ends on April 21.
