Trump seeks warships from other countries to help secure Strait of Hormuz
Iran's decades-long use of the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint for global oil shipping from the Middle East will come to an end, according to President Donald Trump, and he is rallying the world to free it.
"Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe," Trump wrote Saturday morning on Truth Social.
Iran closing the strait has roiled global oil supply, causing gas price increases even in the states, despite the fact the U.S. is a net-exporter of oil and gets only a fraction of its oil from the Middle East. Trump is calling on those countries relying on the oil tankers from the strait to share in the responsibility to free it up.
"We have already destroyed 100% of Iran's Military capability, but it's easy for them to send a drone or two, drop a mine, or deliver a close range missile somewhere along, or in, this Waterway, no matter how badly defeated they are," Trump's post continued. "Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated."
Trump vowed a massive campaign to knock out Iran's ability to terrorize the oil tankers transversing the region.
"In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water," he concluded. "One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!"
Trump added in another Truth Social post five hours later that the countries relying on that Middle East oil must take responsibility for it now, too.
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"The United States of America has beaten and completely decimated Iran, both Militarily, Economically, and in every other way, but the Countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT!" Trump wrote. "The U.S. will also coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well. This should have always been a team effort, and now it will be — It will bring the World together toward Harmony, Security, and Everlasting Peace!"
None of those countries gave any immediate indication they would do so. In fact, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed both China and Russia are "strategic partners" supporting defense against U.S. and Israel-led aggression.
"That includes military cooperation," he told MS Now in an interview Saturday. "I'm not going into the into any details of that, a good cooperation with these countries, politically, economically, even militarily."
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Araghchi is perpetuating a "confused policy," according to the United Arab Emirates, as the Islamic Revolution Guard contends the strait will remain closed, while the foreign minister suggests all countries other than the U.S. or Israel will be permitted to pass.
"As a matter of fact, the Strait of Hormuz is open," Araghchi said. "It is only closed to the tankers and ships belong[ing] to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass."
Takayuki Kobayashi, Japan's ruling party policy chief, told public broadcaster NHK that "the (legal) threshold is very high."
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Japan interprets its pacifist postwar constitution to mean it can deploy its military if the nation's survival is threatened, but the government would have to invoke a 2015 security law that has not been used.
South Korea's presidential office said it would decide on Trump's request after a "careful review."
France is seeking to assemble a coalition to secure the strait once the security situation stabilizes, while Britain is discussing a range of options with allies to ensure the security of shipping, officials have said.
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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who replaced his slain father and who the U.S. and Israel understand to be injured, has said the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth says the new supreme leader was "disfigured" in the initial strikes that killed his father late last month.
"There is no problem with the new supreme leader," Araghchi told MS Now. "The system is working."
"Everything is under control."
Reuters contributed to this report.