WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington is talking to Tehran and Iran cannot "blackmail" the United States with the Strait of Hormuz.
"We're talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again... and they can't blackmail us," Trump said at an event in the White House.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council said on Saturday that the country is determined to control traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war is definitively ended and lasting peace is achieved in the region.
As long as the enemy intends to disrupt the passage of vessels and employ methods such as naval blockade, Iran will consider this a violation of the ceasefire and will prevent the conditional and limited opening of the strait, it said.
Earlier on Friday, both Washington and Tehran confirmed that the strait had been completely open for all commercial vessels. However, Trump said on Truth Social that the U.S. naval blockade would "remain in full force." In response, Iran warned of closing the strategic waterway again if the U.S. blockade continues.
Vessel tracking data showed that around 10 ships turned back on Saturday while attempting to pass through the waterway, following Tehran's renewed control over it. ■
