President Donald Trump warned Iran to "get smart soon" on Wednesday as his administration reviewed military options for the Strait of Hormuz, where a prolonged standoff has disrupted a key global shipping route and driven up energy prices.
"Iran can't get their act together. They don't know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!" Trump posted on Truth Social early Wednesday, alongside an image depicting him with a weapon and the message "NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"
Members of Trump's national security team presented multiple options during a Situation Room meeting this week, including whether to increase or decrease the U.S. military presence in the strait and whether to take a more aggressive operational posture, NBC News reported, quoting an unnamed U.S. official and a person familiar with the discussions.
No final decision has been made, and it remains unclear when Trump will choose a course of action, the sources said.
The standoff between Washington and Tehran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz for two months.
Roughly 20% of global energy supplies pass through the waterway, and the disruption has sent prices sharply higher. The national average for gasoline reached $4.23 per gallon, the highest level in nearly four years, while Brent crude rose to nearly $115 a barrel.
Iran's currency has also come under pressure, with the rial falling to a record low of about 1.8 million to the dollar, signaling mounting economic strain.
The U.S. has shown little enthusiasm for a recent Iranian proposal to reopen the strait without resolving disputes over Tehran's nuclear program. Washington has insisted that any agreement must halt Iran's enrichment activities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that any deal must "definitively prevent them from sprinting toward a nuclear weapon at any point."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said U.S. negotiators remain engaged but that Iran is struggling internally following Operation Epic Fury, a joint U.S.-Israeli campaign.
"The president will only enter into an agreement that puts U.S. national security first, and he has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon," Kelly said.
Trump also addressed the conflict during a state dinner Tuesday for King Charles III, saying the United States had "militarily defeated" Iran and would never allow it to obtain a nuclear weapon.
A spokesperson for the British monarchy said the king remains aligned with longstanding efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.
The U.S. naval blockade remains in place as part of efforts to pressure Tehran economically. U.S. forces have continued maritime operations in the region, including boarding a commercial vessel on Tuesday before allowing it to proceed.
Iran has attacked three commercial ships and seized two during the standoff.
Shipping traffic through the strait remains limited, with only 11 vessels transiting the passage in the past 12 hours, according to an analysis of maritime data.
One Japanese tanker, the Idemitsu Maru, passed through the strait Wednesday and is en route to Japan, offering a rare sign of movement in the otherwise stalled corridor.
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