Trump vows to open Strait of Hormuz 'with or without' Iran as blockade of waterway continues

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Saturday, April 10, vowed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz regardless of Iranian resistance, declaring that the US will restore the flow of energy “with or without” Tehran's support. 

Trump indicated a push for a swift resolution to the maritime blockade, stating that the process should move "pretty quickly" or the US will "finish it off" to ensure the Strait of Hormuz opens soon.

Trump says Hormuz Strait to open with or without Iran

Before departing Joint Base Andrews for Virginia, President Trump spoke firmly about his intent to break the current blockade. 

He indicated that the US is prepared to take action to ensure the vital waterway is no longer obstructed.

“We’re going to open up the Gulf with or without them or the strait, as they call it,” Trump told the press. 

He suggested the resolution would be swift, “I think it’s going to go pretty quickly, and if it doesn’t, we’ll be able to finish it off, one way or the other,” he remarked.

He added, "The Navy's gone, the Air Force is gone. All anti aircraft is gone. The leaders are gone. The whole place is gone. So we'll see how it turns out."

Trump sends Vance to Islamabad for talks

President Trump also acknowledged the complexity of the situation and the involvement of international partners. 

He noted that the mission to secure the strait is a shared global interest, stating, “It won’t be easy,” while confirming that other nations have offered to assist.

“Other countries use the strait, so we do have other countries coming up, and they’ll help out,” he explained.

This comes as Vice President JD Vance arrived in Islamabad for high-level negotiations with Iranian officials.

These talks are a central part of the diplomatic effort to turn a fragile two-week ceasefire, following the war that began on February 28, into a more permanent peace agreement.

For the administration, the path to ending the war and lifting the blockade focuses almost entirely on one factor: Iran’s nuclear program.

Trump has made it clear that the US will not accept any deal that leaves Tehran with a path to a bomb.

When asked about his requirements for a satisfactory peace agreement, he was characteristically direct about his bottom line. “No nuclear weapon. That’s 99 per cent of it,” he stated.