US President Donald Trump has said the United States will maintain its naval blockade on Iran until Tehran agrees to a deal addressing Washington’s concerns over its nuclear programme, signalling a hardening stance even as military options remain under consideration.
Speaking to Axios, Trump indicated that the blockade is currently his preferred tool of pressure, describing it as more effective than direct military action. “The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing. They are choking like a stuffed pig. And it is going to be worse for them. They can't have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
The US position comes amid Iran’s proposal to first reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the blockade, while deferring nuclear negotiations to a later stage, an approach Trump has rejected. He said Tehran is seeking relief from the blockade but maintained that it would not be lifted without firm guarantees on its nuclear programme.
Meanwhile, United States Central Command has already drawn up plans for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure, according to Axios sources familiar with the matter. The strikes are intended to break the current negotiating deadlock and push Iran back to the table under greater pressure. However, as of Tuesday night, Trump had not authorised any kinetic action.
For now, the administration sees the blockade as its primary leverage, though officials indicated that military action remains an option if negotiations fail to progress. Trump declined to discuss operational details but suggested that the pressure campaign is already taking a toll, claiming Iran’s oil infrastructure is under strain due to its inability to export.
Iran, however, has pushed back strongly against the continued US blockade in Hormuz. A senior Iranian security source told state media that the US naval blockade would “soon be met with practical and unprecedented action,” warning that restraint shown so far may not continue if the pressure persists.
