In a defiant stance, President Trump dismissed calls to reopen the critical shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that no agreement with Iran would be feasible without extreme measures, including targeting the nation’s leaders. This bold declaration came during a Tuesday night statement, shortly after it was announced that a cease-fire would continue.

The president argued that Iran’s claims of closing the strait were merely a tactic to “save face.” Trump took to Truth Social to express his views, saying, “Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed; they want it open so they can earn $500 million a day, which they lose if it’s shut!” He maintained that the blockade was thorough, contrary to Iran’s declarations.

Trump recounted that just days ago, he was approached by individuals suggesting that Iran was eager to reopen the strait. However, he asserted that reopening it would preclude any potential deal with Iran unless severe actions were taken against the country and its leadership.

In a follow-up post, Trump further claimed that Iran’s economic stability was crumbling, describing the regime as “collapsing financially” and “starving for cash.” This stark economic assessment underscores the ongoing tensions and the high-stakes nature of the current geopolitical situation.

“People approached me four days ago, saying, ‘Sir, Iran wants to open up the Strait, immediately.’ But if we do that, there can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their Country, their leaders included!”

In a subsequent post, Trump claimed the Iranian regime is “collapsing financially” and it’s “starving for cash.”

“Military and Police complaining that they are not getting paid. SOS!!!” he wrote.

Tehran has not responded to Trump’s latest threat, but foreign minister Abbas Araghchi claimed the blockade violates the cease-fire and the war of words appears to be on the rise. 

“Blockading Iranian ports is an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire. Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation,” he wrote on X.

He then vowed Iran knows “how to defend its interests and how to resist bullying.”

Iran has already condemned US forces for seizing the M/V Touska vessel, describing it as “piracy.”

The strait, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, was closed Saturday – merely hours after Araghchi had said it was “completely open” for commercial ships. 

Iran has since vowed that the strait remain closed until the US lifts its blockade, and the regime has scoffed at Western nations’ calls to reopen the waterway.

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, was ridiculed by the Iranians after he called for the strait to remain open “under international law.”

“Oh, that ‘international law’?!,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei quipped. 

“The one that the EU dusts off to lecture others while quietly green-lighting a U.S.-Israeli war of aggression — and looking the other way on atrocities against Iranians?!

“Spare the sermons; Europe’s chronic failure to practice what it preaches has turned its ‘international law’ talk into peak hypocrisy.”

Talks spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling for the strait to be reopened have not progressed further.

It also remains unclear whether there will be a second round of US-Iran peace talks. 

Vice President Vance was reported to be leading a US delegation for talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, but he remains in Washington. 

Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner also were expected in the Pakistani capital, but instead traveled from Miami to the White House on Tuesday for meetings. 

Iranian negotiators will not be in the Pakistani capital and the Tasnim News Agency reported that the country is preparing for the conflict to restart.

Mohammed-Bagher Ghalibaf, the Islamic Republic’s parliamentary speaker, teased that Iran has “new cards” it can reveal on the battlefield.