The future of Iran is “very bad,” he warned, if US allies do not help open the Iran-Iran, sending a stark message to European nations to join the war effort against Iran.
In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, the US president said he may postpone a planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, pressing Beijing to help lift the blockade of the critical sea route.
“It’s absolutely right for the people who benefit from the Straits to help make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump said, arguing that “If there’s no response or if the response is negative, I think that’s going to be very bad for the future of NATO,” he added.
The “thorn” of the Straits and oil
Trump’s remarks came a day after he appealed to France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom for a “collective effort” to open the gateway through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes.
Iran effectively closed the Straits after the US and Israel launched the war two weeks ago, sparking fears of another shock to oil prices. US efforts to open the passage have largely failed, with international prices hitting $106 a barrel on Sunday evening (15/3), a 45% increase since hostilities began.
Shots against NATO and Europe
Despite his warnings, Trump appeared pessimistic about whether allies would heed his pleas. “We have this thing called NATO. We were very good to them. There was no need to help them with Ukraine. Ukraine is thousands of miles away from us… But we helped them. Now we will see if they will help us”, he said characteristically.
Asked what kind of help he needs, he replied: “Whatever it takes.” He said the allies would have to send minesweepers, which Europe has in abundance, but also forces that would “neutralize some bad actors along the Iranian coast,” implying the use of European special forces.
Pressure on Beijing and “nails” for London
Trump has left open the possibility of postponing his visit to Beijing, his first in his second term, if China does not act immediately. “China gets 90% of its oil from the Straits. We would like to know before the meeting,” he noted.
He expressed particular annoyance at the attitude of the British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer. “The UK is considered the number one ally… and when I asked them to come, they didn’t want to. As soon as we eliminated the threat from Iran, they said “we will send two ships”. I said we need the ships before we win, not after we win. NATO is a one-way street.”
The situation in the field
The American president claimed that the US and Israel have “decimated” Iran, destroying its navy and air force. However, European allies are already counting losses: a French soldier was killed on Thursday in Iraq and an Italian jet was destroyed on Sunday in Kuwait.
Finally, he warned of new strikes on Kharg Island, Iran’s oil export hub: “We hit everything but the pipes yesterday. We can hit it in five minutes and there’s nothing they can do about it.”
