Capitals, Aug. 13 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington had full control of the Strait of Hormuz, as shipping through the strategic waterway declined and Pakistani efforts to mediate between the United States and Iran struggled to make progress.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the United States was in “complete control” of the strait and expressed confidence that Washington would retain that control. He described the U.S. naval blockade as a “wall of steel” and said Iran was unable to challenge it.
Trump also said Iran’s leadership was in disarray, claiming that the Revolutionary Guards were collapsing and that the country was facing severe economic difficulties.
His comments came as commercial shipping through Hormuz continued to fall amid heightened security concerns. Shipping data showed eight vessels were tracked through the strait on Tuesday, the lowest number in a week.
The decline has added to concerns over global energy supplies, given the Strait of Hormuz’s importance as a major route for oil and gas shipments.
Pakistan seeks to revive diplomacy
Pakistan, meanwhile, said it was continuing efforts to mediate between Washington and Tehran and bring the two sides back to negotiations.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar met Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam in Islamabad for talks on regional developments and bilateral relations.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the mediation track remained open, while Islamabad raised the possibility of extending a 60-day truce period provided for under an earlier memorandum of understanding.
An Iranian source, however, told Reuters that there were no discussions on extending the ceasefire. Tehran was seeking a U.S. return to the interim agreement and a timetable for implementing commitments under it, the source said, adding that no progress had been made.
The previous agreement, reached in June, unraveled after Trump declared on July 7 that it was “over.”
The positions underscored the continuing gap between Washington and Tehran. Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless Washington accepted Tehran’s conditions for ending the war.
Oil rises on supply concerns
Oil prices rose in early trading as concerns over shipping disruptions and attacks on vessels heightened fears of supply shortages.
Brent crude climbed to around $89.66 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose to $83.92. Brent extended gains for a sixth consecutive session amid few signs of an imminent diplomatic breakthrough.
Security concerns also intensified after the U.S. military said it fired two missiles to disable the steering equipment of a Panama-flagged vessel that it said had ignored repeated warnings and violated the naval blockade on Iranian ports.
T.S /ABD
