Trump tells aides to prepare for extended blockade of Iran

President Donald Trump told his aides to prepare for an extended US Naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the Wall Street Journal reported, as the US looks to intensify economic pressure on Iran as the war enters its third month.

The president, in meetings with top aides, decided to continue putting pressure on Iran’s ability to export oil by stopping any vessel heading to or from the Islamic Republic’s ports, the newspaper reported on Tuesday night. Trump determined that was a less risky option than resuming bombing or extracting the US from the conflict entirely, the outlet said.

The US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to respond with strikes on what it described as US interests across the region, many of them in Gulf countries.

A ceasefire was announced on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, followed by talks hosted in Islamabad on April 11-12, but the negotiations ended without an agreement.

Trump later said the truce had been extended at Pakistan’s request pending a proposal from Tehran.

He signaled Monday that he was unlikely to accept Iran’s latest proposal to end the war after Tehran proposed a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while leaving questions about its nuclear program for later negotiations.