As diplomatic attempts between Washington and Tehran continue to stall, US President Trump has urged that Iran surrender in order to end the war with the United States.
Trump stated that Iran should “put up the white flag of surrender” in a phone interview with a Fox News reporter on Monday, indicating that his administration was still applying pressure on Tehran in spite of continuous attempts to resume talks.
The remarks were made at a time when it seemed like an interim deal between the US and Iran had broken down. An “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts” was stipulated in the June memorandum of understanding, but on July 7, Trump proclaimed the agreement to be terminated.
The arrangement has since been suspended, according to Iran’s foreign ministry. Additionally, both parties agreed in the memorandum to discuss a more comprehensive final agreement, including Iran’s nuclear program’s future, within 60 days—a deadline that expired on Monday.
Recall that before the US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February, the Strait of Hormuz was a vital global energy route that carried around 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
Meanwhile, Oman and Iran have been negotiating an agreement to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Reacting, Trump warned Oman against obstructing efforts over the strategic waterway, telling Fox News: “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them.”
Backstory…
Fuel prices have climbed as a result of the Strait of Hormuz issue, and the US government is under more pressure to settle the crisis, especially before the midterm elections in November that will decide who controls Congress.
On August 15, U.S. President Trump said during a Friday address at the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City, New York, that he intends to declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory once military operations against Iran conclude.
The announcement came amid a diplomatic deadlock in negotiations with Tehran. Navigational access through the strategic maritime chokepoint has remained heavily restricted following the outbreak of hostilities involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran in February. Iranian authorities, who border and exercise de facto control over the waterway, have refused to fully reopen it.
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