Trump tells aides to prepare for extended blockade of Iran

US President Donald Trump has instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Citing US officials, the report said that in recent meetings, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran’s economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports.

He assessed that his other options—resume bombing or walk away from the conflict—carried more risk than maintaining the blockade, officials added, the report said.

The US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to respond with strikes on what it described as US interests across the region, many of them in Gulf countries.

A ceasefire was announced on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, followed by talks hosted in Islamabad on April 11-12, but the negotiations ended without an agreement.

Trump later said the truce had been extended at Pakistan’s request pending a proposal from Tehran.

He signaled Monday that he was unlikely to accept Iran’s latest proposal to end the war after Tehran proposed a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while leaving questions about its nuclear program for later negotiations.