President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will maintain the U.S. naval blockade on Iran until the regime “cries uncle” and agrees to a deal ensuring it will never obtain nuclear weapons.
Speaking in a phone interview with Axios earlier in the day, Trump explained that he rejected a proposal from Tehran that would have involved reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing the blockade before addressing the nuclear issue, making clear he will not lift the blockade until Iran agrees to U.S. demands.
Trump said the blockade has proven more effective than direct military action in forcing Tehran toward concessions, describing the pressure as increasingly severe. “The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing,” he said. “They are choking like a stuffed pig, and it is going to be worse for them.”
Trump said the pressure is beginning to yield results, noting Iran is seeking relief from the restrictions but has yet to meet U.S. conditions. “They want to settle,” he said, while emphasizing he has no intention of easing the blockade under current circumstances.
He also warned that Iran’s oil system is under increasing strain as exports remain blocked, saying the regime’s infrastructure is nearing critical limits under the sustained pressure.
In a post early Wednesday on Truth Social, Trump sharpened his tone, writing that Iran “can’t get their act together” and warning, “No more Mr. Nice Guy,” signaling a tougher posture as negotiations remain stalled.
Later, speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said talks are continuing, largely by phone rather than through in-person meetings, but indicated Tehran has not gone far enough.
“They’ve come a long way,” he said. “The question is whether or not they’re going to go far enough.” He added, “There will never be a deal unless they agree that there will be no nuclear weapons.”
Trump also praised the effectiveness of the naval blockade, calling it “genius” and “100% foolproof,” and crediting the U.S. Navy with enforcing the pressure.
“Nobody’s going to play games with us,” he said. “It shows how good our Navy is.”
He further argued that Iran’s military capabilities have been significantly degraded and its economy is under increasing strain as oil exports remain constrained, describing the regime’s financial position as deteriorating under sustained pressure.
“Now they have to cry uncle… just say, ‘We give up,’” Trump said, describing the intended outcome of the pressure campaign.
According to Axios, U.S. Central Command has prepared plans for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure if the diplomatic deadlock persists, though Trump has not authorized military action and declined to elaborate on potential operations.
The blockade is being maintained alongside additional financial measures targeting Iran’s revenue streams. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against 35 entities tied to Iran’s “shadow banking” network, which officials say facilitates tens of billions of dollars in illicit oil revenue and supports the regime’s military and proxy operations.
“These networks allow Iran’s armed forces — including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — to access the international financial system… and transfer money to Iran’s terrorist proxies,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, warning financial institutions against engaging with the sanctioned entities.
Officials say the combined impact of the blockade and financial measures is creating mounting bottlenecks for Iran’s oil exports, with storage capacity at key terminals nearing critical limits and revenue flows increasingly constrained.
Iran, however, has rejected Washington’s terms and warned of escalation if the blockade continues.
A senior Iranian security source told Press TV that the naval blockade “will soon be met with practical and unprecedented action,” adding that Iran’s armed forces believe “patience has limits” after initially holding back to allow diplomacy to proceed.
Iranian officials have insisted that lifting the blockade must come before any substantive nuclear negotiations — a position Trump has firmly rejected.
Despite the standoff, Trump said talks are ongoing but reiterated that any agreement depends on Iran abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
“At this moment, there will never be a deal unless they agree that there will be no nuclear weapons,” he said.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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