US Sanctions Continue Despite Strait of Hormuz Reopening: Trump Confirms Naval Blockade on Iran
Former President Donald Trump declared on Friday that a United States naval blockade against Iran would persist, even after Tehran announced the crucial Strait of Hormuz was fully open for navigation. Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, welcomed Iran's statement regarding the waterway's accessibility, but then quickly clarified that what he termed a 'naval blockade' would remain in full
effect against Iran 'until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.' This statement, reported by outlets like Al-Monitor, presents US economic measures against Iran not merely as sanctions, but as an active naval interdiction of trade. Mainstream narratives, including those often found in the New York Times or Washington Post, consistently refer to these actions as 'sanctions' or
'economic pressure,' carefully avoiding terms that denote military action or acts of war. They omit the reality that restricting maritime passage through a naval presence, whether explicit or implicit, constitutes a blockade under international law, and Historically, blockades have been considered acts of war. The declaration highlights a long-standing pattern of US unilateral economic warfare
against Iran, now openly described as a 'naval blockade.' This approach has roots in a history of aggressive postures, including the accidental downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the USS Vincennes in 1988, which killed 290 civilians, an incident that was later whitewashed as a tragic error by US officials despite clear evidence of the vessel being in Iranian airspace. The explicit mention of a