Iran-US battle newest: Washington names Strait of Hormuz calls for as Trump points ominous warning over ‘assassination plot’
The US has named its demands for the Strait of Hormuz to be open and safe, as Donald Trump issued an ominous warning over an alleged new plot from Iran to assassinate the US president.
US officials said Friday the Trump administration is demanding Iran publicly state the vital oil waterway is open and vow to stop attacking ships attempting to pass through, according to reports.
It came after Trump said that he’s “left instructions” in case Iran assassinated him.
“I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before”, he told the New York Post.
Also Friday, Trump agreed to return to negotiations with Iran while insisting the US-Iran ceasefire ended after the two sides traded strikes this week.
The US military struck Iranian islands, ports and infrastructure for two consecutive nights after reporting Iran had struck three ships in the strait.
Qatari negotiators are understood to have travelled to Iran in a desperate effort to restart talks after disputes over navigation in the strait led to the collapse of diplomacy.
Iranian officials are expected to travel to Oman on Saturday for talks about the strait, reports say.
Traders bet against Strait of Hormuz traffic returning to normal by end of the month
Traders on the prediction market Polymarket have bet that there’s just an eight per cent chance that commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will return to normal by the end of the month.
Trump held call with Saudi crown prince: report
US President Donald Trump held a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Friday, Washington time, NewsNation’s Libbey Dean reported, citing Saudi state media.
Dean said the two leaders talked about Iran.
ICYMI: Israel shared intelligence of new Iranian plot to kill Trump with US officials, report says
Israel reportedly recently shared intelligence with the US about potential plans by Iran to kill President Donald Trump.
The news about the alleged plot, reported by The Wall Street Journal and CNN, comes at a time of heightened tensions between the US and Iran, with both sides trading strikes in recent days.
When asked by The Independent about the alleged intelligence tip, the White House pointed to President Trump’s recent comments claiming that he was under threat from Iran.
“They want to take out the U.S. leader — me”, Trump said. “And so far, I guess I’ve been a bit lucky, but maybe that doesn’t last very long”.
Read on…
Trump administration warns if Iran refuses its Strait of Hormuz demands it won’t be a ‘good outcome’: report
The Trump administration has warned if Iran refuses its demands to publicly announce the Strait of Hormuz is open and safe, it won’t be a “good outcome” for the country, NewsNation’s Libbey Dean reported, citing a senior US official.
Over 20 ships transit Strait of Hormuz
A total of 22 ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, according to the Hormuz Strait Monitor.
Commercial traffic in the vital oil waterway remains diminished as the Trump administration reportedly demands Iran publicly announce the strait is open and safe.
Watch: US ambassador says negotiations can’t continue while Iran targets ‘civilian objects’
FULL STORY: Trump’s instructions if Iran assassinates him: ‘Literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before’
After spending several days labeling himself Iran’s “No. 1 target” and warning that he is under constant threat of assassination, US President Donald Trump stressed that he left his advisers specific instructions should anything ever happen to him.
“I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before”, he told The New York Post on Friday.
“I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left”, he said at the time.
Read on…
Ambassador says US cannot negotiate with Iran while it targets ‘civilian objects’
Tammy Bruce, deputy US representative to the United Nations, has said Washington cannot negotiate with Iran while it targets “civilian objects”.
“We made progress in our discussions with Iran with the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The door to diplomacy remains open and is our preferred path to resolve concerns related to Iran’s nuclear program.
“We hope Iran chooses to come back into compliance with its obligations, and to engage seriously in talks toward reaching a final deal”, Bruce said at a UN Security Council briefing.
“While dialogue remains possible, we cannot negotiate while Iran reneges on the basic of obligations. Simple obligations—such as don’t shoot at civilian objects.
“But to be clear: the United States stands ready to hold Iran to account for its acts that defy international peace and security. If you shoot at civilian objects or ships, we will respond”.
The US military struck Iranian islands, ports and infrastructure this week after reporting that Iran hit three ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Ambassador to Nato says ‘Europe was asleep’ but Trump administration ‘fixed that’
US Ambassador to Nato Matthew Whitaker has said “Europe was asleep” but that the Trump administration “fixed that”.
“They were not capable and could not come up alongside the United States, and we have fixed that with President Trump’s leadership”, Whitaker told Fox News.
“We are seeing Europe for the first time in 77 years start spending more money on their defense, becoming more capable and taking over the conventional defense of Europe”, he added.
Source: independent.co.uk
