President Donald Trump warned Tehran Wednesday to "get smart soon" and accept strict U.S. demands on its nuclear program, as a U.S. naval blockade further tightened economic pressure on Iran.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, was due to testify before Congress later in the day, but U.S. press reports suggested Trump has already decided to reject Iran's latest proposed deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Wall Street Journal, he intends to pursue the blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran is forced to dismantle its nuclear program.
"Iran can't get their act together ... They better get smart soon," Trump posted on his social media platform, above a mocked-up picture of himself toting a rifle in front of explosions wrecking a desert fortress and the slogan: "No more Mr Nice Guy."
Iran has blockaded the strait – a vital conduit for oil and gas shipments from the Gulf – since the U.S. and Israel launched the war two months ago, sending shockwaves through the global economy. But its own economy is also suffering.
