US destroyer orders two oil tankers from Chabahar to turn back under Trumps new blockade, aiming to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept US ceasefire terms
A US destroyer interdicted two oil tankers attempting to leave Iran, a day after US President Donald Trump’s blockade went into effect, and instructed them to turn around, a US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.The ships had left Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman and were contacted by the warship via radio communication, the official said. It was unclear whether any further warnings were given.
The disclosure adds further detail to the start of Trump’s blockade, which aims to pressure Iran to end its effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for about 20% of the world’s oil.
Trump is hoping the blockade will force Iran to accept America’s terms for ending a war launched by the US and Israel on February 28, including opening up the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says that was also a condition of a week-old ceasefire with Iran, which is due to expire next week.
The US official said the two tankers were among the six merchant vessels the US Central Command said in a statement earlier on Tuesday had followed orders to “turn around to re-enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.”
