Trump Urges Japan, Others to Send Warships to Strait of Hormuz

Washington, March 14 (Jiji Press)–U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday urged Japan and other countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for oil transportation from the Middle East, amid growing tensions over Iran. The strait has been effectively blocked due partly to drone attacks by Iran. Many countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz “will be sending warships in conjunction with the United States” to keep the strait open and safe, Trump said in a social media post. He claimed, “We have already destroyed 100 pct of Iran’s military capability,” but added that it is easy for Tehran to send drones, lay mines or deliver close-range missiles in the waterway. Hopefully, China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and other nations that “are affected by this artificial constraint will send ships to the area” so that the Strait of Hormuz “will no longer be a threat,” Trump said. “In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline (of Iran) and continually shooting Iranian boats and ships out of the water,” he added. In a separate post, Trump said that countries that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz “must take care of that passage,” adding, “This should have always been a team effort, and now it will be.” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is slated to hold a meeting with Trump in Washington on Thursday. She is expected to face a difficult decision over issues including whether Japan should send a Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel to the Strait of Hormuz, informed sources said. Previously, Trump said that U.S. warships would safeguard oil tankers that sail in the strait. The latest social media posts effectively mark a change in his stance. Two weeks have passed since U.S. and Israeli forces started military operations against Iran. With Tehran continuing counterstrikes, crude oil futures prices remain elevated due to concerns about supply shortages. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]