US President Donald Trump publicly criticized Iran over the disruption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, calling Tehran’s actions unfair and insisting that the United States had already prevailed in the ongoing conflict.
Speaking during a lunch with members of the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Trump accused Iran of continuing hostile actions despite what he described as a decisive US military campaign against the country.
“So, it’s a little unfair. You know, you win a war, but they have no right to be doing what they’re doing,” Trump said.
The US president said the American military campaign against Iran had significantly weakened the country’s armed forces.
The waterway is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints for global energy supplies, and disruptions to shipping there have triggered concerns about global oil markets and maritime security.
Iranian strikes and military activity in the region have disrupted traffic through the passage, which normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments.
Trump urged other countries that rely on the Strait of Hormuz for energy supplies to help secure the waterway and restore maritime traffic. He said several countries had already indicated they were willing to assist the United States, although he acknowledged that some allies had shown less enthusiasm about becoming involved.
According to two senior White House officials, Iranian representatives recently reached out to Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and other administration officials in an attempt to reopen diplomatic channels.
Trump, however, instructed his team not to engage in negotiations at this stage, the officials said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied that any such contact had taken place, saying his last communication with Witkoff occurred before what he described as a US decision to abandon diplomacy.
“Any claim to the contrary appears geared solely to mislead oil traders and the public,” Araghchi wrote on X.
The differing accounts highlight ongoing tensions and the lack of direct communication between Washington and Tehran, according to CNN.
A White House official said Trump remains open to talks but not immediately, as he wants ongoing military operations to continue.
US allies in the Middle East have also offered to mediate discussions on Iran’s nuclear program and a potential end to the conflict, but those efforts have been declined for now, the officials said.
White House officials cited uncertainty over Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, as one reason for delaying negotiations.