Is relief in sight for global trade? Donald Trump asserted on Saturday, April 11, that the United States had started to “clear” the Strait of Hormuz, at the same time as several American media outlets reported that US Navy ships had crossed the same passage controlled by Iran on that day. “We are now starting the process to clear the Strait of Hormuz as a favor for countries all over the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others,” the American president wrote on his Truth Social platform. It will be “open soon,” he added in another message. “Incredibly, they do not have the courage or the will to do the job themselves,” he assured.
In his message on Truth Social, Donald Trump also lashed out at the media, claiming that they allege Iran is winning the war against the United States, “when in reality everyone knows they are losing, and losing big.”
“The only thing in their favor is the threat of a ship ‘hitting’ one of their naval mines” in the Strait of Hormuz, he acknowledged, while claiming that “all of their 28 mine-laying ships lie at the bottom of the sea” since the American strikes.
Donald Trump’s message comes at the beginning of peace talks between the United States and Iran in Pakistan, during which the issue of traffic in the strait holds a significant place. Shortly after, the American military stated that two of its destroyers had crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday to begin “setting the conditions” for demining this strategic waterway controlled by Iran, in the midst of talks with Tehran. The two ships operated as part of “a broader mission to ensure that the strait is completely cleared of the marine mines previously laid by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.” Iranian state media criticized on Saturday US’ “excessive demands” on the Strait of Hormuz during negotiations in Islamabad.
Iran locks down this strategic waterway for oil and global trade, through which about 20% of the world’s oil transits. The strait is nearly closed. Despite the ceasefire, crossing it remains very risky and only a handful of ships have been able to pass through.
