Trump Warns Iran to Reopen Strait of Hormuz (Waterway) or Face Attacks

New shipping data shows that vessels have continued moving near the Strait of Hormuz between Friday (April 3) and Sunday (April 5), even as tensions remain high between the United States and Iran.

This comes after Donald Trump gave Iran a deadline of Tuesday evening (April 7), warning that failure to reopen the key waterway could lead to attacks on important infrastructure such as power plants and bridges.

On Sunday, an oil tanker carrying Iraqi crude oil was seen passing through the Strait near Iran’s coastline. This happened just one day after Iran announced that Iraq would not be affected by the restrictions placed on the route.

Ships traverse the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for nearly 20% of global oil shipments (Photo: X)

According to shipping data, the tanker Ocean Thunder loaded around 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy crude in early March. It is expected to deliver the oil to Pengerang, Malaysia, later this month.

Other ships have also managed to pass through the Strait in recent days. These include tankers operated by Oman, a container ship owned by a French company, and a gas carrier from Japan. This movement suggests that Iran is allowing passage only to ships it considers friendly.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump warned that Iran would face serious consequences if it did not reopen the Strait by the deadline. He repeated similar threats on his social media platform, Truth Social.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important sea routes in the world, used to transport about 20% of global oil and natural gas. However, it has been largely blocked since the conflict between the two countries started about five weeks ago.

Despite his strong warnings, Trump also said in an interview with Fox News that talks with Iran were ongoing and a deal could be reached soon.

The crisis began after Iran closed the Strait following airstrikes by the United States and Israel in late February. The situation later changed slightly when Iran said it would allow ships not linked to the U.S. or Israel to pass through.