Iran warns US to reverse ‘stupid decision’ as Trump reacts to Strait of Hormuz closure | World | News
Iran has slammed the US blockade of its ports, calling it a “foolish and stupid decision,” and has demanded it be reversed. Iran swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway after the US said the move would not end its blockade.
The escalating standoff is now pushing the two countries towards renewed conflict. Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, one of Iran’s main negotiators, warned that if the US does not lift the blockade, “traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will definitely be restricted.” In a televised address, the speaker of Iran’s parliament also referred to his decision to reverse the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
He said: “For several days they have blockaded the Strait of Hormuz… What a foolish and stupid decision… This is another mistake of theirs. If you do not lift the blockade, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will definitely be restricted, and there is no doubt about it.”
However, Trump said the US was having “very good conversations” on the topic, but gave no other details.
Ghalibaf also called Trump a “master of lying and psychological warfare.” He said: “Yesterday he tweeted eight times, and seven of those were lies.”
Asked about the prospects of a lasting peace deal, he said there had been “progress” but that is “still a big distance” between both sides with the ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday.
He said there are just one or two outstanding issues, but there are “some issues on which we insist”.
Last night the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US blockade on Iranian ports is lifted.
In a statement, the IRGC Navy warns that “no vessel is to move from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman”.
The announcement came the day after Trump said that even after Iran announced the strait’s reopening on Friday, the American blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear programme.
On Friday Trump shared a series of upbeat messages on his social media platform, Truth Social. In his tenth post on the platform in an hour, Mr Trump claimed that Iran “has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again”.
