Strait of Hormuz blockade a 'temporary inconvenience', US energy secretary says. “better now”
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is a “temporary inconvenience”, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday, adding that the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran will end “in the coming weeks”, Reuters, AFP and Agerpres news agencies report.
“It's true that we're going through a period of short-term disruption, but it's better to do it now than to have a nuclear-armed Iran,” Wright said in an interview on ABC News' “This Week,” justifying the Feb. 28 launch of war against Iran.
“It's a temporary setback to get to a much better situation where the Middle East can no longer be held hostage by a rogue state, Iran,” he said of blocking the strait through which 20 percent of the world's hydrocarbon production normally passes.
“I think this conflict will certainly end in the next few weeks. It could be sooner than that, but the conflict will end in the next few weeks and we will see a resumption of (hydrocarbon) supply and then a drop in prices,” the US minister said.
He reaffirmed the Trump administration's position, rejecting accusations that it underestimated the risks of Iran closing the strait in its war plans.
