An Open Letter to Donald Trump on Iranian Straits & Ceasefires
A question no journalist at the briefing asked: Sir, on Thursday, your social media posts accused Iran of a “very poor job” allowing oil through the Strait of Hormuz and of breaching a two-week ceasefire agreement. You further warned against Iran imposing a toll for ships navigating this critical waterway, stating, “That is not the agreement we have!” We note that mainstream outlets like
Al-Monitor reported your comments largely without questioning the premise of an 'agreement' you reference. This framing suggests a formal covenant exists from which Iran is now deviating, rather than a unilateral assertion of US maritime policy in international waters, which is a significant distinction. The gap is in presenting your assertion as fact rather than a claim requiring substantiation,
especially concerning an alleged 'ceasefire' that remains undefined and unacknowledged by Tehran. The Strait of Hormuz is recognized under international law as a vital chokepoint, with Iran holding significant strategic interests and sovereign rights over parts of the waterway. The notion of a 'ceasefire agreement' with Iran, specifically a two-week term, is particularly novel, given the
persistent and escalating US-imposed sanctions regime against the country, which has persisted for over 45 years since the 1979 revolution. The US unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, which was an internationally recognized nuclear accord, demonstrating a pattern of abandoning agreements at its convenience. Tehran's perspective consistently highlights