International Fertilizer and Agriculture News - August 17

U.S. Threatens Indefinite Blockade of Iran: Latest Developments

President Donald Trump’s threat to impose an indefinite maritime blockade on Iran, along with a U.S. territorial claim over the Strait of Hormuz, marks a new strategy to pressure Tehran. A month ago, the United States restored its maritime blockade of Iran in an attempt to increase economic pressure on Tehran after a brief ceasefire agreement broke down. On Wednesday, Trump said the United States has “complete control” over the Strait of Hormuz and may “keep” it, even as Iran continues to attack vessels transiting the waterway. On Friday, Trump escalated his rhetoric at an event in New York. “After we completely defeated Iran, Iran is being hit hard, and very soon I will declare the Strait of Hormuz to be U.S. territory,” Trump said. The remarks came as the Trump administration is preparing to announce new economic sanctions against Iran next week, while pledging to maintain the maritime blockade of Iran indefinitely. “We can keep it going as long as we want. Indefinitely,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday. The growing prospect of an indefinite war marks a shift from the early stage of the conflict, when Trump repeatedly claimed that U.S. victory was only weeks away. Trump claimed to have “complete control” over the Strait of Hormuz, while saying Iran’s ability to threaten vessels would weaken because the country is “totally bankrupt.” Iran has also claimed control over vessel traffic in the Strait. “The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Our control over all operations is complete and decisive,” Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Commander Ali Azami posted on X on Thursday. Iran has restricted traffic through the Strait through sporadic drone and missile attacks. The United Arab Emirates said on Friday that Iran attacked two vessels linked to state oil company Adnoc while they were passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts said the United States can do little to prevent such attacks unless the war escalates sharply or a ceasefire agreement is reached. “There is no simple solution,” Hudson Institute senior fellow Michael Doran said at an event hosted by the Washington think tank on Thursday. “We have a messy conflict that will be with us for many months, and possibly years.” The threat of an indefinite war creates a complicated political environment for Republicans ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. On Friday, Trump said consumers currently paying an average of 4 dollars per gallon for gasoline in the United States should remember that the higher price is providing a “great service” to the world. Trump said: “You pay a little bit more for gasoline, and remember that you are doing it so that a very evil country cannot have nuclear weapons.” Trump administration officials said crude exports from the Middle East Gulf are higher than existing vessel-tracking data indicate. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said pipelines are exporting 6 million b/d, while tankers are exporting 8 million-9 million b/d through the Strait of Hormuz. Referring to the Middle East Gulf region in a Fox News interview on Thursday, Wright said: “Today about 14 million to 15 million barrels are being pulled out of the Arabian Gulf area, compared with 20 million barrels before the conflict. So we are still short 4 million to 5 million b/d from this region, but the hole is much smaller than people think.”