Washington/Dubai – US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that “right now” the situation with Iran is “good,” as he’s paused US negotiations with Tehran and the Strait of Hormuz remains a key point of tension in the ongoing war. “Right now, I think the situation is so good,” Trump told reporters, suggesting talks could start again “at some point.”
Trump again reiterated his claim that the United States is in “possession” and in “complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz.The strait has emerged as a key bargaining chip in the war with Iran, which has effectively closed the strategically vital waterway since fighting began in late February, disrupting a major route for global oil shipments. “They shoot a drone every once in a while,” Trump said, referring to Iran disrupting traffic through the strait. “But not everybody’s going to go through.”
Trump has repeatedly said that his priority is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, as his administration continues to weigh its next steps in the conflict.The president made the comments a day after he seemed to adopt a new approach, telling administration envoys to halt their conversations with Iran, according to a US official.
The United Arab Emirates suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran until further notice.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis claimed today to have targeted eight Saudi oil tankers since late July, when the militant group declared a maritime blockade on Saudi shipping, the Houthi-run Saba news agency said.“Since July 20, we have targeted 8 Saudi oil tankers, 5 in the Red Sea and 3 in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea,” the group said, according to Saba. Nearly 50 Saudi oil tankers were also “prevented from transiting the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea and forced to return,” the news agency cited the Houthis as saying.
Saba also reported the group said it sank two military landing ships near Mokha — which it claimed were transporting Saudi weapons — as well as more than 10 warships belonging to Saudi forces, without providing evidence.
