WASHINGTON/CAIRO, April 2 (Reuters) – Dozens of alarmed countries sought ways to restart vital energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed more aggressive strikes on Iran, pushing oil prices back up with further pain to consumers.
Trump said operations would be intensified and gave no timeline for ending hostilities, drawing threats of retaliation from Tehran and sending share prices lower.
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“We’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages where they belong,” Trump said in a Wednesday evening speech.
Trump persisted with his threats on Thursday, saying on Truth Social “IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE” and posting footage of what appeared to be strikes on a bridge in Iran.
Still defiant despite the death of a slew of its leaders, Iran offered a competing vision for future control of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s oil consumption in normal times but is now virtually closed.
Tehran said it was drafting a protocol with Oman on monitoring ships in the waterway.
“Of course, these requirements will not mean restrictions, but rather to facilitate and ensure safe passage and provide better services to ships that pass through this route,” Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Ships will need permits and licences in agreement with Iran and Oman, Gharibabadi also told Russia’s Sputnik news agency.
Trump said the war could escalate if Iran did not give in to Washington’s terms, with strikes on its energy and oil infrastructure possible. He told countries that rely on fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to “just grab it”.
However, European and other states have said they will only help secure the strait if there is a ceasefire.
Britain chaired a virtual meeting of some 40 countries to explore ways to restore freedom of navigation, saying the focus was on diplomatic and economic tools.
“It can only be done in consultation with Iran,” French President Emmanuel Macron said.
Although the meeting ended without any specific agreements, there was a consensus Iran should not be able to introduce transit fees on ships using the waterway and all nations should be able to use it freely, one official said.
