President Donald Trump told Axios on Wednesday he will keep the U.S. naval blockade on Iran in place until Tehran agrees to a nuclear deal, rejecting an Iranian proposal to first reopen the Strait of Hormuz before nuclear talks resume.
“The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing. They are choking like a stuffed pig,” Trump said in the 15-minute phone interview. “They can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump claimed Iran’s oil storage and pipelines “are getting close to exploding,” though some analysts have disputed the timeline.
Strikes Remain On The Table
U.S. Central Command has prepared a “short and powerful” wave of strikes to break the deadlock, three sources told Axios. Trump has not ordered any kinetic action and views the blockade as his primary leverage. A senior Iranian …
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