WASHINGTON — President Trump announced on Wednesday that Iran has purportedly requested a ceasefire with the United States. However, he stated he would not halt military actions against the regime until the crucial Strait of Hormuz is reopened.
“Iran’s new leadership, less radical and more intelligent than its predecessors, has approached the United States seeking a ceasefire,” Trump shared on Truth Social.
“We will only consider this request once the Strait of Hormuz is open, free, and unencumbered. Until that time, we will continue our military operations, taking Iran back to the Stone Ages,” he declared.
This marks the first instance where President Trump has publicly mentioned Tehran’s formal plea for a ceasefire. However, he has previously hinted at Iran’s desire to negotiate a resolution to the conflict that began on February 28.
Trump’s statement was strategically timed before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. In recent weeks, he has made several important announcements regarding the situation in Iran prior to market openings.
Iranian officials have occasionally contested Trump’s descriptions of diplomatic communications. Last month, for instance, senior Iranian representatives denied the existence of any discussions with the United States, despite multiple media reports suggesting negotiations were underway.
Despite Iran’s denials, the Trump has suggested ongoing talks between the US and the regime’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf.
On Tuesday, Trump told The Post that the Operation Epic Fury attacks in Iran are winding down.
âWeâre not going to be there too much longer. Weâre obliterating the sât out of them right now,â Trump said in a phone interview.
âWe wonât have to be there much longer â but we have more work to do in terms of killing their offensive, whatever offensive capability they have left.â
The Trump administration has claimed that 11,000 targets in Iran were struck in 32 days. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth claimed Tuesday that “Over the last 24 hours saw the lowest number of enemy missiles and drones fired by Iran.”
The US recently took down a key Iranian command bunker and blew up an ammo depot in Isfahan, footage of which Trump shared on Truth Social.
But one hangup that’s loomed over the joint US-Israeli onslaught against Iran has been Tehran’s effort to wreak havoc in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint where about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil flows through on an annual basis.
While the US, the world’s largest oil producer, gets only a small amount of its oil through the strait, the interconnectedness of global oil markets has sent petroleum prices surging back at home, unnerving the stock market.
Trump has fumed at NATO allies for not stepping up and helping the US reopen the strait, with oil vessels sitting on the outskirts of it amid fears of Iranian strikes and mines.
“Youâll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. wonât be there to help you anymore, just like you werenât there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil,” Trump chided on Truth Social Tuesday, name-checking the United Kingdom.
Oil prices have largely been hovering around $100 a barrel, and gasoline prices have jumped past $4 a gallon on average nationally, having been below $3 before the war in Iran erupted.
Top Trump administration officials have signaled that the US is nearing the completion of its objectives in Iran, which include destroying Iran’s missiles, missile production capacity, navy, and ability to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“I think weâre very close to achieving our objectives,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News’ “Hannity” Tuesday evening. “I donât want to put a timeline on it, but we can see the finish line, the finish line meaning we will have achieved all of the objectives that the President outlined.”
