President Donald Trump said Thursday that growing internal disputes within Iran have left the country without clear direction at the top, while asserting that the United States now maintains full control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

“Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The infighting is between the ‘hardliners,’ who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the ‘moderates,’ who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is CRAZY!”

Trump went on to state that the U.S. has effectively taken command of one of the most important global maritime routes.

“We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz. No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy. It is ‘Sealed up Tight,’ until such time as Iran is able to make a DEAL!!!” he wrote.

The remarks come as uncertainty continues to surround Iran’s leadership following the elevation of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to supreme leader, as reported by The Times of Israel.

He has yet to appear publicly since assuming the position, with reports suggesting he sustained serious injuries in the strike that killed his father.

Against this backdrop, authority in Tehran is believed to be largely in the hands of hardline figures within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, even as other senior officials appear to be pursuing a different course.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, both involved in ongoing talks with the United States, are seen as more inclined toward reaching an agreement.

According to the White House, these internal fractures have made it more difficult for Iran to respond to proposals for a lasting ceasefire, a factor that played into Trump’s decision to extend a temporary truce that had been set to expire earlier in the week.

{Matzav.com}