From the battlefield, the Iranian Foreign Minister stated that Israeli attacks on Tehran’s fuel depots constitute ecocide due to the long-term health risks to residents.
Donald Trump has warned NATO, threatening a very negative future if the United States’ allies do not help ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open. This is the tycoon’s blunt and direct message to European nations, urging them to join his military effort in Iran, as stated in an interview given to the Financial Times on Sunday. The US president argued that Europe and China are heavily dependent on oil from the Gulf, unlike the US. Trump’s comments came in the wake of his appeal to China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain to join the “joint effort” to unblock the Strait, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes.Despite the warning, Trump expressed scepticism about the likelihood of US allies heeding his calls for help. “We have an organisation called NATO. We have been very generous. We weren’t obliged to help them over the Ukraine issue. Ukraine is thousands of kilometres away from us, yet we helped them. Trump hinted that he wanted European commando teams or other military support to eliminate the Iranians who are causing disruption in the Gulf using drones and naval mines.
Once again, Trump speaks of ongoing diplomatic negotiations with Tehran, but claims that Iran is not yet ready. Tehran denies that any talks are taking place.
Looking ahead to the upcoming meeting between Trump and Xi, tensions are palpable. On the one hand, there are concerns regarding the Strait of Hormuz and pressure from Washington DC. On the other, on the trade front, Beijing has urged the United States to immediately rectify its unfair trade practices, whilst a new round of negotiations has begun between the world’s two largest economies.
Meanwhile, US oil companies have delivered a grim message to officials in the Trump administration: the energy crisis linked to the war in Iran is likely to worsen. In a series of recent meetings held at the White House and in recent talks with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the CEOs of Exxon Mobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips warned – according to the Wall Street Journal – that disruptions to energy flows out of the Strait of Hormuz would continue to cause volatility in global energy markets.
