President Donald Trump said tonight that Iran’s public stance on the Strait of Hormuz is driven by optics rather than strategy, arguing that Tehran is only calling for its closure to mask the impact of a sweeping U.S. blockade.

In a Truth Social post, Trump framed the situation as one in which Iran is suffering steep financial losses and attempting to manage perceptions. “Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 Million Dollars a day (which is, therefore, what they are losing if it is closed!).”

He then directly addressed what he sees as the disconnect between Iran’s statements and its true interests. “They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!), so they merely want to ‘save face.’”

Trump also said he has received recent indications that Iran is eager to reopen the critical shipping lane. “People approached me four days ago, saying, ‘Sir, Iran wants to open up the Strait, immediately.’”

At the same time, he warned that removing the blockade would eliminate leverage in any negotiations with Tehran. “But if we do that, there can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their Country, their leaders included!”

{Matzav.com}