00:04President Donald Trump said a U.S. military blockade of ships leaving Iran's ports had
00:09begun on Monday, as Tehran threatened to retaliate against its Gulf neighbors' ports after peace
00:15talks failed to end the conflict over the weekend.
00:21Outside the Oval Office, Trump said Iran had been in touch on Monday and wanted to make
00:26a deal, but that he will not approve any agreement that allows Tehran to have a nuclear weapon.
00:33Earlier, Trump warned that any Iranian fast-attack ship that goes near the U.S. maritime blockade
00:39would be, quote, eliminated. U.S. Central Command said the blockade would be, quote,
00:44enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports in
00:50the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Two Iranian-linked tankers laden with oil products
00:56left the strait on Monday before the deadline, Al-Segh data shows. An Iranian military spokesperson
01:02called any U.S. restrictions on international shipping piracy. NATO allies, including Britain
01:08and France, said they would not be drawn into the conflict by taking part in the blockade.
01:13Instead, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Parliament on Monday that he and French
01:18President Emmanuel Macron will convene a summit of leaders to, quote,
01:23ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. And let me be very clear, this is about
01:29safeguarding shipping and supporting freedom of navigation once the conflict ends. Iranian
01:37political analyst Mohamed Ghaderi said the U.S. blockade will only lift energy prices again.
01:45Look, when the other side wants to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, logically surrounding it only adds
01:50another problem. But what is Trump's argument? His argument is that if Iran wants to prevent
02:00passage through the Strait, then he will prevent Iran's passage in a much wider area. This does
02:05not solve America's problem. Yes, it imposes pressure on Iran, but it does not resolve America's
02:12problem. What does this mean? It means that the story of the escalating rise in energy prices will
02:16continue. Trump announced the blockade after discussions in Islamabad between the sides over
02:23the weekend failed to reach a final agreement, including on lifting an Iranian threat to strike
02:28cargo ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Those talks came after Tehran and Washington agreed last
02:35week to a two-week ceasefire. But on Sunday, Washington said Tehran rejected its demands,
02:42and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakji said they had encountered, quote, maximalism,
02:47shifting goalposts, and blockade from the United States at the talks. Pakistani Prime Minister
02:53Shahbaz Sharif said efforts were still on to resolve the conflict.
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