US President Donald Trump. (AP photo)
Iran on Monday mocked US President Donald Trump by mocking his announcement of the blockade earlier that day with a meme saying “Break the enemy’s blockade by breaking his blockade.”Besides the meme, Iran also criticized Trump by writing in his style.
“Trust me, I have a 100 percent Ph.D., okay? From the best college in the world. The best. Totally real. Everyone knows it.”
Honestly, you will thank me very much for teaching you. No one knows better than me,” it reads.
It comes after Trump’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of talks with Iran over the weekend threatens to expand the conflict that is now in its seventh week, sending oil prices higher and raising fears of new global economic pressures.The US military said it would begin blocking all maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports on Monday (Washington time), while allowing ships to pass through the strait if they do not dock in Iran. Tehran quickly rejected the move, with its chief adviser Mohsen Rezaei warning that Iran “will not allow” such an embargo and retains “significant untapped leverage” to confront it.This escalation comes in the wake of the collapse of marathon negotiations in Pakistan, which cast doubt on the fragile ceasefire that was agreed upon a few days ago.
The talks, led by US Vice President J.D. Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, collapsed due to disagreements surrounding the future of Iran’s nuclear program.Speaking on Sunday, Trump signaled indifference to reviving diplomacy, claiming that Washington had already achieved key military goals, including weakening Iran’s missile and drone capabilities.“If they don’t come back, I’m fine,” he added.Earlier, he used a more aggressive tone, declaring that the United States was “ready and willing” to eliminate the remainder of Iran’s military capability. He also warned against responding to any resistance, saying that any attack on American forces or commercial ships would be met with overwhelming force.The developments threaten to prolong the war that has already killed thousands and disrupted global energy markets. Oil and gas prices rose on Monday, with Brent crude jumping more than 9% to near $104 a barrel, while European gas futures rose sharply.
Traders and refiners around the world are scrambling to secure spot crude oil supplies as physical flows tighten.The Strait of Hormuz – through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes – remains the most important artery for global energy. A complete blockade would severely restrict remaining shipments and intensify pressure on already volatile markets.According to Bloomberg, while a blockade can be strategically crucial, its economic impact is rarely immediate. The current ceasefire is scheduled to end on April 22, although tensions threaten to collapse it soon. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any foreign military presence near the strait would be considered a violation.Since the US and Israeli strikes began in late February, traffic through Hormuz has already slowed dramatically, with Iran tightening its control and imposing conditions on traffic. While the United States has the ability to enforce the blockade, analysts warn that it carries serious risks — including direct exposure of U.S. warships to Iranian missile and drone attacks, and the potential for escalation involving Iranian-backed groups such as the Houthis.With allies reluctant to join the process and global markets on edge, the threat of a blockade itself may be as significant as any action on the waters – raising the risk of miscalculation while narrowing the already shrinking space for diplomacy.
