Is Trump buying time? Report says U.S. sending 10,000 more troops to Middle East
Investing.com - U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that the U.S. war with Iran may be coming to a conclusion soon, even as the American military says an ongoing naval blockade has restricted shipping traffic in and out of Iran.
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Speaking to Sky News in the U.K., Trump said it was "very possible" that a permanent ceasefire agreement with Iran could be reached prior to the visit of King Charles later this month. He added that Iran has been "beaten up pretty bad."
Earlier, Trump told Maria Bartiromo of Fox News that the conflict, which began with joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, is "close to over."
The New York Post also reported that Trump expects temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks to resume in the next two days, following a first round talks in Pakistan last weekend.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the fighting is nearing an end and that the U.S. had achieved its objectives in Iran, including hampering Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and limiting its military capabilities. Iran has largely denied these claims.
The U.S. and Iran agreed to a tenuous two-week ceasefire until April 21. Hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East were furthered by Israel and Lebanon holding their first direct talks in decades this week in Washington. Israel has continued to carry out strikes against Iran-aligned Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, threatening to upend the halt to hostilities between the U.S. and Iran. Israel has disputed Iranian claims that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire deal.
Citing regional officials, the Associated Press reported mediators’ efforts to extend the ceasefire have made progress and both sides are now anticipated to return to the negotiating table. The news agency said mediators were working on a compromise to three of the main sticking points in the talks, such as Iran’s nuclear program, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and compensation for the war.
U.S. fully implements blockade, military says
Meanwhile, the U.S. has fully implemented a blockade of Iran’s ports and ships, the military’s Central Command division said in a statement on Tuesday. The move comes after Trump ordered the blockade against Iran following the weekend talks, reportedly the aim of further pressuring Tehran into a ceasefire deal.
"A blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented [...] U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea," Central Command said in a social media post.
The U.S. blockade, however, could complicate ceasefire negotiations, and could also herald more shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The blockade threatened to add to concerns over oil supply flows through the Persian Gulf, which have slowed to a trickle during the war. But the Wall Street Journal has reported that over 20 commercial vessels have managed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz recently, signaling a possible improvement in movement through the vital waterway off of Iran’s southern coast.
The Pentagon is also sending roughly 10,000 additional troops and major naval assets to the Middle East, according to a report from The Washington Post. The deployment includes about 6,000 troops aboard the USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike group and roughly 4,200 personnel with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The added forces are expected to bolster an existing U.S. military presence of about 50,000 personnel in the region.
Oil prices hovered below $100 a barrel, although they remain well above pre-war levels. At 03:16 ET, Brent crude futures, the global benchmark had moved up by 0.3% to $95.10 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures had declined by 0.2% to $91.12 a barrel.
(Ambar Warrick contributed reporting)
