Trump is losing patience: unblocking Hormuz with Iran's only card

Iranians are unlikely to realize that they have no cards beyond short-term coercion regarding the use of international waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump said on Friday. He added that the negotiations are the only reason why Iran's leaders are still alive.

“The Iranians do not seem to realize that they have no cards except short-term extortion on the world through the use of international waterways. The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!” – Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform.

In another entry, he said that “Iranians are better at dealing with fake news media and public relations” than at fighting.

Trump's words are another expression of frustration with the attitude of Iran, which, despite the ceasefire, has not yet fully unblocked navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. On Thursday, the US president threatened Iranian authorities not to collect transit fees from tankers, although he had previously speculated that the US could collect such fees jointly with Iran.

Trump's statement was made a day before the start of peace negotiations with Iran in Islamabad. Despite his expressed frustration, the president told NBC on Thursday that he was very optimistic about the prospects for reaching a peace agreement.

According to data from the Marine Traffic website prepared by the BBC, since the truce was concluded on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, Iran has allowed 19 ships to pass through the strait, most of which are container ships and only four are tankers. Iran on Tuesday said it would allow ships to navigate through the strait “in coordination with Iran's armed forces.” Before the war, over a hundred ships passed through the strait a day. It is estimated that approximately 800 are still waiting to leave the Persian Gulf.

The blockade of the strait caused oil prices to rise, which was reflected in inflation data released on Friday. The US CPI rose 0.9% in March, which was the largest monthly increase since 2022.

From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)

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