United States President Donald Trump has said Iran will not be allowed to “blackmail” the United States amid renewed tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump made the remarks on Saturday during a White House event, shortly after reports emerged that the strategic waterway had been closed again just hours after it was said to have been reopened.
“We’re talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again, you know, as they’ve been doing for years, and they can’t blackmail us,” he said.
He added that further updates on Iran would be provided later in the day.
The development follows reports that Iran’s military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed on Saturday, reversing an earlier announcement that it was open. The strait is a vital global energy route, with about one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passing through it.
Iran said the action was in response to what it described as an ongoing United States blockade of its ports.
