By Tom Howell, Jr. (The Washington Times)
President Trump says Iran committed a “foolish” violation of its ceasefire agreement by firing at least four drones at ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the oil choke point.
The president said one of the four drones hit the upper deck of a “large and very expensive” cargo ship in the strait.
“Damage was done, but the Ship was able to proceed on its way. We knocked down three other Drones. Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement,” Mr. Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social.
Mr. Trump chastised Tehran as negotiators try to maintain peace in the region and finalize a deal to end the U.S.-Iran war and constrain the Islamic republic’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Vice President J.D. Vance and Iranian negotiators recently finished the first round of talks in Switzerland. The Trump administration said Iran agreed to accept U.N. inspectors at sensitive nuclear sites and to buy American farm products with its unfrozen assets.
Iranian officials disputed that account, but the turmoil in the Strait of Hormuz is the biggest threat to the ceasefire that both sides entered through a memorandum of understanding this month.
The memorandum called on Iran to reopen the strait to commercial traffic, while Mr. Trump lifted his naval blockade of Iranian ports.
However, Tehran signaled it wants to maintain oversight of the strait or charge fees on ships that use it, prompting international consternation.
Mr. Trump’s social media post did not outline any immediate consequences for Iran’s recent actions against commercial shipping. However, it marked a more serious turn compared with recent rhetoric about Iran.
For the most part, the president has said talks were progressing well and would force Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions.
This article was made available to WMAL via The Washington Times.
