US President Donald Trump said that China has agreed to “not supply” weapons to Iran and that the Chinese are “very happy” that the US is “forever opening” the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been blocking the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the US-Israeli war against the country.
Donald Trump announced this on his social network Truth Social.
“China is very happy that I am finally opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing this for them and for the whole world. They have agreed not to supply weapons to Iran. We are working together smartly and very well. Isn't that better than going to war? But remember, we are very good at fighting, if necessary, much better than anyone else,” Donald Trump wrote.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command announced a “complete naval blockade of Iran.”
“The blockade of Iranian ports is fully implemented as US forces maintain maritime superiority in the Middle East. Less than 36 hours after the blockade was imposed, US forces completely stopped economic trade by sea – both to and from Iran,” the command said.
On April 15, it was reported that more than 20 commercial ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz in a single day. In addition to merchant ships, the strait was also used by tankers, dry bulk carriers, and container ships traveling to and from the Persian Gulf.
The US Central Command said it began mine clearance operations in the strait area on April 11 to reduce risks to civilian shipping.
Negotiations between the US and Iran and Trump's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
On April 11, talks between representatives of Iran and the United States took place in Pakistan. They did not agree to end the war because, according to Vice President J.D. Vance, the Iranian authorities refused to shut down their nuclear program.
After that, Trump announced that on April 13, the US Navy would begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz due to the failure of negotiations with Iran to agree on giving up its nuclear weapons. According to Trump, the US military would intercept all ships that paid Iran a toll to pass through the strait.
He also warned Iran that if its military began attacking American warships, the US Navy would “send the Iranians to hell.”