Trump Claims Britain Is Sending Warships to Help US Blockade Strait of Hormuz Today

US President Donald Trump. (Wikimedia Commons-Official White House-Daniel Torok)

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump claimed that NATO countries, including the UK, had offered assistance to the US' intention to blockade the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian security.

Trump made the claim after peace talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan stalled until Sunday morning, April 2.

"Well, we're going to blockade. It's going to take a little time, but it will be effective soon," Trump said in an interview session with Fox News, quoted by the BBC.

Trump intends to completely block ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz from paying access to the supply line for 20 percent of the world's oil and natural gas to Iran.

"We think many countries will help us in this as well, but we will do a total blockade. We will not let Iran make money by selling oil to the people they like and not to the people they don't like," Trump continued.

The Strait of Hormuz, which Iran calls a war zone, is the result of the US-Israeli attack. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Strait of Hormuz has become a zone closely watched by Iran following the sudden US-Israeli attack on Tehran starting February 28. About 40 days later, a two-week ceasefire agreement was reached between Iran and the US, followed by 21 hours of peace talks since Saturday, April 11 in Islamabad between the two sides mediated by Pakistan.

Because the Iran-US negotiations in Islamabad did not reach an agreement, the Strait of Hormuz, which was also discussed in the negotiations, was still enforced by Iran as before the ceasefire.

Trump, who intends to block ships in the Strait of Hormuz starting today, Monday, April 13, said the US would be helped by allied countries, including NATO members.

He claimed that the US and its allies such as Britain would send minesweeping vessels that Iran placed as part of surveillance of the Strait of Hormuz.

"We have mine-sweeping ships there. Now we have a very sophisticated underwater mine-sweeping ship, the latest and greatest, but we're also bringing in more traditional mine-sweeping ships. And so I understand ... Britain and some other countries are sending mine-sweeping ships," Trump said.

According to Trump, US allies will join the ranks of blocking the Strait of Hormuz after he often complained about NATO's reluctance to participate in the US-Israeli war against Iran.

"Now they want to come and want to help clean up the strait, and it won't be long before they clean it up. Cleaning it up, so we'll clean up the strait, and they'll be able to use the strait in not too long," he said.