The US is warning Iran of increased economic pressure, as two more ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. Transit through the strait nearly halted on August 14 following these attacks, and the United States stated that it could maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely.
Two ships belonging to the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company were attacked while passing through the strait in the evening of August 13, according to the UAE’s state news agency WAM. The government of the United Arab Emirates blamed Iran, which did not provide immediate comments. According to the company Kpler, which tracks ship movements, nine ships passed through the strait on August 13, more than the five ships on August 12, but significantly fewer than the average for August. Early in the morning of August 14, no visible ship transits were recorded.
US statements on pressure on Iran
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told journalists that the US military has the capability to maintain a naval presence in the region to enforce the US-imposed blockade of Iran, which has already caused significant economic damage to the country. “The US Navy can maintain such a blockade indefinitely because we will rotate ships as we have done before, and we will continue to do so,” he said during a trip to Panama.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the United States plans to inflict even greater financial damage on Iran. “Stay tuned for news next week as we apply measures the likes of which have never been seen in the history of a country’s economic isolation,” he said in an interview with the Newsmax program “Rob Schmitt Tonight”.
Iran’s position and global consequences
A high-ranking Iranian source reported on August 12 that negotiations to develop a June ceasefire agreement had not made progress. After the resumption and subsequent breakdown of the ceasefire, Iran resumed attacks on ships it accuses of attempting to pass through the strait without its permission.
Tehran stated that it will not allow transit through the strait to resume until its conditions are met, including the lifting of economic sanctions and the unfreezing of Iranian assets. On August 13, an Iranian parliamentary committee approved Iran’s plan for the strait, which prohibits the transit of assets and equipment from the United States, Israel, and other “hostile” countries, according to the semi-official news agency Tasnim.
US President Donald Trump is under domestic pressure to end the unpopular war, as high fuel prices are lowering his approval ratings. Earlier this week, Trump suggested that he would rely on economic measures rather than military action, although he has repeatedly threatened to escalate military strikes.
Reports that Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen attacked a Saudi Aramco oil refinery with drones on August 13 renewed concerns about the expansion of the regional war. Global economists predict a sharp slowdown in global growth and a potential recession in some regions, warning that the consequences will worsen if the war is not ended soon.
Source: The Straits Times
