"Effective immediately, the United States Navy – the finest in the world – will start BLOCKADING every ship trying to go in or out of the Strait of Hormuz. I have told our Navy to hunt down and stop any vessel in international waters that has paid an illegal toll to Iran. Anyone who pays that toll won't get safe passage on the high seas. Most points were settled in the talks, except the nuclear issue. Iran has deliberately kept the strait closed and keeps extorting with mines and tolls. Our forces are already clearing the mines and have sunk Iranian minelayers. The Strait of Hormuz will be open and safe for all peaceful shipping." ~ Trump
(https://i.ibb.co/9mtqyr5J/v3ph5hawkrug1.jpg)
The US is blockading ships that Iran has already blocked.
(https://i.ibb.co/1YcDdXsy/mza8l6gnlrug1.png)
That's a mistake. It'll give Iran what they want – a reason to keep the Strait of Hormuz blocked.
Hope he's only doing market manipulation and will change the statement once the US market opens, otherwise we're in trouble.
It's meant to put pressure on China and India. Also, how can other economies benefit from this?
If you can't beat them, join them – Trump style.
Bold move by Trump to call it 'extortion'. *cough* tariffs *cough*
In my view, the US doesn't really want the strait opened. Iran wants it open, but the US is using the conflict to keep it closed so other countries pay attention. The US hopes to profit by controlling the shipping in some way, tying the deal to nuclear issues. The US isn't dependent on the strait – it's Asia and China that rely on it.
This isn't good for India. He's making things tough for India and China, who'll be hit the hardest, hoping they'll pressure Iran. What a mess!
This will anger Russia, China and India. That's Trump's aim – to pressure Iran into opening the strait.