US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US is reimposing the blockade of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and will charge ships for safe passage. He said on social media that Iranian ships will no longer be able to pass through Hormuz and America will impose a 20 percent duty. Trump said that we are reimposing the blockade of Iran. It has been given this name because it only prevents Iranian ships or customers from coming and going. All other countries will be able to use this strait freely and openly.
Both America and Iran claimed on Monday that they have control over the Strait of Hormuz. This development has also posed a serious threat to the ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war. Tension increased further when on Sunday Iran targeted a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz near the coast of Oman.
We have control over Hormuz: Trump
This attack once again made it clear that the issue of this sea route, which is important for the movement of crude oil and natural gas, remains the biggest dispute in the talks between the two countries. Trump said that we have control over Hormuz. Trump also said that everything was agreed upon in the 11-hour meeting on Sunday, but later Iranian negotiators suggested some changes. He did not elaborate on this.
Since the beginning of the war between Iran and America, the movement of ships through this narrow sea route of the Persian Gulf has been affected. Iran has tried to maintain its dominance on this route by attacking commercial ships and intimidating shipping companies.
Attacks continue amid interim agreement
Almost half of the 60-day interim agreement between America and Iran has been completed. The purpose of this agreement was to start talks for a permanent solution to the war, but instead there are continuous attacks between the two sides over the Strait of Hormuz and its future. This has increased the apprehension of world leaders that a full-scale war with Iran may erupt again.
Dozens of Iranian targets were targeted
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that if war starts again on a large scale, its consequences will be devastating. The US Army’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said that in the attacks carried out on Monday, it targeted dozens of targets, including air defense systems, radar centers, missile and drone related equipment and small boats.
Iran has no control over Hormuz
Centcom said, the Strait of Hormuz is an extremely important sea route for global trade. Iran has no control over this. Iran’s paramilitary force Revolutionary Guard rejected America’s claim outright. This force has control over Iran’s ballistic missile capability. The Guard said, the Strait of Hormuz is our territory and we will not allow an unbridled and child-killing army from the other side of the world to continue its illegal interference.
Meanwhile, sirens warning of missile attack sounded thrice in Bahrain on Monday. The headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet is located in Bahrain. At the same time, Kuwait also said that its air defense system stopped the missiles fired by the enemy. However, there was no immediate report of any damage in both the countries.
Iran’s missiles shot down
Jordan said it shot down four missiles fired by Iran. The country made this announcement through its government news agency Petra. Citing the Jordanian army, Petra said, no one was killed in this incident nor was there any damage.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA quoted officials as saying that the attacks took place in Hormuzgan, Khuzestan and Markazi provinces, in which at least two people were killed. Iranian media also reported that attacks have also been carried out in Sistan-Baluchistan province. On Sunday, the scope of Iran’s attacks spread to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and even Oman.
Hormuz Strait becomes center of tension
The Strait of Hormuz, which has a shared maritime border with Oman, also remained the center of this tension. Oman, which has long played the role of mediator between Tehran and Western countries, summoned an Iranian diplomat criticizing the attack.
At the same time, on Monday, a drone attack was also carried out on a base of the armed wing of the Iranian Kurdish opposition organization Kurdistan Freedom Party located in the Autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq. Kurdistan Militia Corps commander Rebaz Sharifi said that the organization’s Chamshar establishment was targeted in the drone attack. However, he did not give details of any casualties or damage. No organization immediately took responsibility for this attack.
Attack on around 140 targets of Iran
The US Army said on Sunday that it attacked about 140 Iranian targets, including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition stores, communications equipment and other military targets. This was a much more widespread action than the two-phase attacks carried out last week.
Trump said, we bombed them heavily last night. In response, Iran targeted those countries where American military forces are deployed. He also reiterated that Hormuz should be under his sole control and he can also collect toll from the ships passing through there.
A new round of attacks begins in West Asia
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard acknowledged in a statement early Monday that it had launched a new round of attacks in West Asia. Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, the era of unilateral agreements is over. We had already said that either keep your promise or pay the price. Now the reality is in front of you.
The interim agreement regarding war is now over
Iran claimed that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, while the US military and President Trump say that this sea route is still open. President Trump indicated last week that the interim agreement regarding the war has now ended. Despite this, many mediator countries including Pakistan, Qatar and Egypt are continuing efforts towards a final agreement to end the war.
An official associated with the mediation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that efforts to maintain the ceasefire continued. Pakistan said its foreign minister spoke to Iran’s top diplomat over phone and urged both sides to reduce tensions.
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