Trump stated that Iran has requested a ceasefire but insisted on the precondition of lifting the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz; Iran's Revolutionary Guard promptly responded with strong resistance, refusing to make concessions. As the White House's national address approaches, the contest over this global energy lifeline has intensified.
As the US-Iran conflict enters its critical second month, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, the global energy chokepoint, are once again unsettling the markets. On Wednesday local time, US President Trump publicly stated on the social platform 'Truth Social' that the Iranian president had expressed a willingness to cease fire to the United States.
However, Trump responded with an extremely tough stance. He explicitly stated that the US would only 'consider' this ceasefire proposal after achieving 'full, free, and unimpeded' navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump warned that until then, the US military would maintain high-pressure strikes, even using the intense rhetoric of 'bombing Iran back to the Stone Age.'
According to Al Jazeera, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran stated that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is 'firmly under their control,' and they 'will not open it to the enemies of this country due to the absurd theatrics of the US President.'
The White House confirmed that Trump plans to deliver a nationwide televised address at 9 AM Beijing time on Thursday, during which he will announce 'significant developments' regarding the situation with Iran.
The conflict, which began on February 28, has rapidly escalated into a global economic turmoil. Due to Iran's continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—the crucial shipping lane with the largest volume of global crude oil transportation—international energy prices have fluctuated sharply over the past month.
Despite repeated claims by the Trump administration that Iran’s military forces have suffered devastating blows and that the US is swiftly achieving its strategic objectives, Trump admitted that navigation rights in the Strait of Hormuz remain the core issue in the current stalemate. For the US and its allies, mere military superiority—if it cannot translate into reopening the strait—will make it difficult to ease the inflationary pressures and supply chain crises facing the global economy.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, the US and Iran have remained at odds over diplomatic engagements and negotiation progress, with information being difficult to verify for authenticity.
Analysts pointed out that even if Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian indeed sent a ceasefire signal, its effectiveness remains questionable. In Iran’s political system, ultimate decision-making authority rests with the Supreme Leader. Against the backdrop of current leader Mojtaba Khamenei having not appeared publicly since the outbreak of the war, whether Iran’s internal stance on the ceasefire issue is unified remains a major variable. Additionally, the market is highly attentive to whether the ceasefire request was brokered through third-party mediation, such as Pakistan.
Editor/Rocky