ALBAWABA - U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped up his rhetoric against Iran, saying he will “very soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz “American territory” and pledging to ramp up military and economic pressure on Tehran.
Trump stated at a law enforcement event that he told senior officials of his administration to plan for a trip to the Middle East to prevent what he called a potential regional catastrophe. He did not offer details of the scheduled visit.
The president again called Iran the world’s greatest state sponsor of terrorism, defended past U.S. military interventions and insisted that continuous pressure is needed to keep Tehran from getting a nuclear weapon.
Trump also reiterated his administration’s promise to ramp up economic penalties, saying that Washington will “hit Iran economically with great force.” "The U.S. naval blockade of Iran is still fully in place," he said, adding, "no ships would get thru without the U.S. allowing it, which he called "a wall of steel."
The president also warned that any Iranian attack on U.S. interests would be met with a response "100 times stronger," hinting that Washington is still ready to respond forcefully to any military escalation.
Trump's comments come a day after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated the government was poised to unleash unprecedented steps against Iran, with a fresh package of sanctions or economic penalties perhaps released as soon as next week.
The recent pronouncements underline the continuing escalation of U.S.-Iran relations, with Washington relying more on economic pressure and military deterrence while the fate of the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz remains central to regional security concerns.
