Trump Says He Asked 7 Countries to Help Defend Hormuz but None Responded
Donald Trump said Sunday that he asked about seven countries to send warships to help safeguard the Strait of Hormuz, but none have agreed so far as oil prices surge during the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
President Donald Trump says he urged seven nations to deploy warships to protect the Strait of Hormuz, but no country has committed as the Iran conflict pushes oil prices higher.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington from Florida, the U.S. president explained that his administration has been negotiating with several nations that rely heavily on Middle Eastern oil supplies. He did not reveal the names of the countries involved.
Altaf Qadri/AP Photos
Trump argued that the shipping route is vital for those nations rather than the United States.
“I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory, because it is their own territory,” Trump said, referring to the strategic waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil usually passes.
U.S. Says Other Nations Should Share Responsibility
According to Trump, the United States imports only a small portion of its oil through the strait, while China receives nearly 90 percent of its supply from the route. When asked whether China would take part in the coalition effort, Trump declined to comment.
Still, he suggested international cooperation would be beneficial.
“It would be nice to have other countries police that with us, and we’ll help. We’ll work with them,” he said.
Previously, Trump had appealed to several nations including China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain to contribute to securing the vital shipping channel.
Iran Responds as Passage Through Strait Continues
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, told CBS earlier that multiple countries had contacted Tehran seeking safe transit for their ships.
He said that decisions on allowing passage rest with Iran’s military. Araghchi noted that vessels from various nations had already been permitted to move through the strait but did not give details.
Iran has stated that the waterway remains open to all countries except the United States and its allies.
The foreign minister also rejected the idea of talks with Washington to end the war. According to Araghchi, Israel and the United States initiated the conflict with coordinated strikes on Feb. 28 during indirect negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
He further said Iran has “no plan to recover” enriched uranium that remains buried after U.S. and Israeli attacks last year.
Countries Respond Cautiously to U.S. Request
Chris Wright said he has been speaking with some of the nations previously mentioned by Trump and suggested China could play a constructive role in restoring traffic through the strait.
Despite the discussions, no government has offered firm commitments.
Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom spoke with Trump on Sunday about the need to reopen the strait in order to reduce disruptions to global shipping. The British prime minister also discussed the matter separately with Canada’s leader.
Trump later said that Starmer initially refused to send British aircraft carriers into potential danger.
“Whether we get support or not, but I can say this, and I said to them: We will remember,” the president remarked.
A spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, said maintaining stable energy supplies is the responsibility of all parties and added that Beijing would strengthen communication with others to ease tensions.
South Korea’s foreign ministry acknowledged Trump’s request, saying it is monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with the United States.
Expectations are growing that Japan could be directly asked to join the effort when Sanae Takaichi meets Trump at the White House on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron said France is working with partners in Europe, India and Asia on a possible mission to escort ships through the strait, though he emphasized it would only occur when circumstances allow.
Germany signaled reluctance to become involved. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told ARD television that Berlin does not expect to participate in the conflict.
Emergency Oil Supplies Set for Release
The International Energy Agency announced Sunday that emergency oil reserves will soon begin entering global markets in an effort to ease rising prices.
The agency updated last week’s figure of 400 million barrels to nearly 412 million barrels. Asian member states plan to release stocks immediately, while reserves in Europe and the Americas are scheduled for release beginning at the end of March.
Trump did not directly answer questions about whether his administration might sell oil futures to limit price increases.
“The prices are going to come tumbling down as soon as it’s over,” he said. “And it’s going to be over pretty quickly.”
New Attacks Across the Gulf Region
Gulf Arab nations including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain reported additional missile or drone strikes after Iran called for evacuations at three major ports in the UAE.
Dubai temporarily halted flights at its international airport after a drone struck a fuel tank and caused a fire. Authorities said civil defense crews quickly contained the blaze and no injuries were reported.
Iran has alleged that U.S. attacks on Kharg Island, the country’s primary oil terminal, were launched from the UAE, though no evidence was provided. Tehran has warned it will target oil, economic and energy facilities linked to the United States if its infrastructure is attacked.
U.S. Central Command said it had no response to the accusation, while Anwar Gargash, an adviser to the UAE president, dismissed the claim. Gulf states hosting American bases have said their territory and airspace were not used for operations against Iran.
Civilian Casualties Rise During Regional Conflict
Iranian missile and drone attacks have struck several Gulf states during the war, damaging infrastructure and affecting economies even though many projectiles were intercepted.
At least a dozen civilians in Gulf countries have been killed, most of them migrant workers.
Inside Iran, the Iranian Red Crescent reported more than 1,300 deaths. Iran’s Health Ministry said the victims include 223 women and 202 children.
Authorities allowed journalists to view buildings damaged by strikes in Tehran on Friday, including a police station and nearby residential structures where apartment walls had been torn away.
“God had mercy on all of us,” said resident Elham Movagghari. Some Iranians have chosen to leave the country.
Strikes Continue in Israel and Lebanon
In Israel, Iranian missile attacks have killed 12 people and injured others, including three on Sunday. At least 13 U.S. military personnel have died, six of them in a plane crash in Iraq last week.
Lebanon has also suffered heavy losses. Its Health Ministry reports at least 820 deaths since Iran-backed Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel and Israel responded with strikes while sending additional troops into southern Lebanon. More than 800,000 people have been displaced in the country in just ten days.
Iranian Missiles Strike Israel Again
Early Monday, Israel’s military reported that Iran launched additional missiles toward the country.
Earlier strikes hit central Israel and the Tel Aviv region, damaging 23 locations and starting a small fire. Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom, released video showing a large crater in a street and shrapnel damage to an apartment building.
Israeli officials say Iran has used cluster bombs designed to evade some air defenses and disperse submunitions across wide areas.
