“Ships stranded in the Strait due to our incredible and unprecedented naval blockade, which will now be lifted, will be able to begin their procedures to return home!” The announcement comes from US President Donald Trump who on his Truth profile claims to want to end the embargo on Iranian trade. But for now there is a lot of caution about the true scope of the announcement. Trump is in fact in the situation room, the ultra-secret command center located in the basement of the White House, and right now he is evaluating whether or not to accept the preliminary agreement reached between Washington and Tehran to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and start negotiations aimed at a permanent conclusion to the conflict.
Trump’s yes would represent a decisive step forward towards peace even if it is not clear whether the plan has received the approval of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The draft would provide for the reopening without restrictions of naval traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the American naval blockade on Iranian ports, but it still leaves the thorniest issue, that of nuclear power, to be negotiated. Trump now says he is ready to lift the blockade, but Iran – this is the implicit message – must accept the conditions he listed in the same post.
What Trump says in his post
“Say hello to your wives, husbands, parents and families from me, your favorite President!” we read in the message from the head of the White House. Trump stresses that “Iran must pledge never to acquire nuclear weapons or bombs” and that “the Strait of Hormuz must be immediately reopened, without tolls, to allow unrestricted maritime traffic in both directions.” Furthermore, he assures, “all mines, if present, will be neutralized”.
As for the nuclear material, “buried deep underground, covered by mountains that virtually collapsed due to our powerful attack with B2 bombers 11 months ago”, Trump explains that “it will be brought to light by the United States (which, as agreed, is the only country, together with China, to have the capability to do so!), in close coordination and collaboration with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and destroyed. There will be no exchange of money – underlines the head of the White House -, until further notice. Other points, of much less importance, have already been reached in the Situation Room – concludes Trump – to make a final decision.
According to the first indiscretions, however, revealed in the evening by the New York Times, President Trump has not yet made any decisions after two hours of meeting. The next few hours will therefore most likely be fundamental.