President Donald Trump, who has been struggling to negotiate a deal with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, has decided to blockade the strait to force it open. The announcement on social media came as a surprise, as Trump’s strategy appears to be contradictory and nonsensical.
Trump said on a Truth Social post, “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.”
Wasn’t the objective to open the Strait of Hormuz? Nevertheless, the White House added a separate post from Trump. The president raved on about the failed negotiation with Iran. He proceeded to condemn Iran’s nuclear ambitions, justifying the continuation of the war because of it.
Consumers are paying the price of the war
But how does blockading the Strait of Hormuz put pressure on Iran? Does it put more pressure on Iran, or will the international community and Americans be bearing the brunt of the blockade?
One X user wrote in reaction to Trump’s announcement, “If the rest of the world is willing to pay a small toll to Iran to keep oil flowing and stabilise markets, then why does the U.S. feel the need to block all shipping, especially when it is not dependent on that oil?”
Iran’s imposed toll on the strait has been a hefty price to pay at one dollar per barrel. Consumers worldwide pay the price at the pump and at the grocery. Moreover, the toll setup by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) violates the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas, which guarantees the right of passage through international straits.
Regardless, the toll will be used by Iran to rebuild from the US-Israel strikes. It’s a war of choice from the allied countries, and the world is paying the price. For a while, Iran has started letting ships pass through, charging two million dollars per ship.
But if nobody can pass through, then why bother paying the fee? A blockade may be the Trump administration’s attempt to stop Iran from charging a toll fee for passage. It’s a desperate bid for a solution from the Trump administration, and the methods clearly don’t align with the goal.
As silly as Trump’s threat is, it’s not just going to result in a double whammy. Oil and gas prices will soar to different heights if Trump sticks through with the promise to double-blockade the strait.
Never let them know the next move
Social media was equally confused and dumbfounded by Trump’s recent move.
Journalist Piers Morgan noted the irony of the situation. He wrote on X, “Sorry, WHAT!? So, having demanded the Strait be opened on pain of all Iranian civilisation being ended, President Trump is now going to shut it himself?”
Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf from Iran weighed in and taunted Trump’s latest move. He posted, “Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade’, Soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.”
The move does nothing but escalate the war after a failed round of negotiations. Instead of winding down, Trump’s extended announcement also threatens to expand the war.
A threat to escalate the war
In a follow-up post, Trump also suggested escalating the war by targeting ships that have paid a toll to Iran for safe passage. Trump continued, “I have also instructed our navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.”
This begs the question: will Chinese ships be targeted for buying Iranian oil? A threat to safe passage against Chinese oil tankers would be disastrous, bringing in a new actor into the war.
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