Trump orders administration to prepare for long-term blockade of Iran – report

As negotiations stall, President Donald Trump reportedly tells aides to gear up for a long-term US naval blockade of Iran in lieu of a resumption of the air campaign.

By World Israel News Staff

President Donald Trump has instructed his aides to prepare for an extended US naval blockade of Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, signaling a shift toward sustained economic pressure as the war enters its third month.

The directive came during recent meetings with senior officials, during which Trump assessed that continuing the blockade was less risky than either escalating military action or moving quickly to end the conflict, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

The blockade, which targets Iranian ports and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, has become the central pillar of US strategy following a ceasefire that halted large-scale bombing earlier this month.

Trump has maintained that the pressure campaign must continue until Iran agrees to strict limits on its nuclear program. He has insisted Tehran halt uranium enrichment for decades and accept long-term restrictions.

At the same time, officials say the administration is weighing alternative options, including the possibility of declaring victory and winding down the war. Intelligence agencies are assessing how Iran would respond to such a move, particularly whether Tehran would view it as a strategic win.

Iran has signaled interest in negotiations, but US officials have dismissed recent proposals as insufficient because they would delay talks on the nuclear issue.

The standoff has pushed the conflict into what officials describe as a “no-deal, no-war” phase, with neither side willing to escalate decisively or concede key demands.

The economic impact has been significant. The blockade has sharply reduced shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route, contributing to higher oil prices and disruptions in international trade.

At one point, cargo ship traffic through the strait fell to just 35 vessels in a week, down from around 130 daily transits before the war.

Iran has also been squeezed by the blockade, with analysts warning it could run out of oil storage capacity within weeks if exports remain constrained.

Should the blockade continue after Iran’s oil storage depots have reached their limit, Tehran will be forced to halt production – a move that could have massive long-term economic implications.

Despite the pressure, US officials believe Tehran may be attempting to outlast Washington, calculating that domestic political costs could eventually force a shift in US policy.

Those costs are already mounting. Public opinion polls show the war is increasingly unpopular, and the economic fallout from higher energy prices has added to political pressure on the White House.

Officials say no final decision has been made.