WASHINGTON: The United States President Donald Trump has called on major Asian economies including Japan and South Korea to assist in ensuring the security and continued operation of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump said the United States wants countries that rely heavily on the waterway for energy supplies to play a greater role in keeping it open and secure.
He noted that the United States imports very little oil through the Strait of Hormuz and therefore expects other major economies to contribute more actively to safeguarding maritime traffic in the region.
“Countries that benefit the most from the Strait of Hormuz should also help defend it,” the president said, adding that international cooperation is essential to maintain the free flow of global trade and energy shipments.
Trump also claimed that the US military had conducted extensive operations targeting Iranian capabilities. According to him, more than 7,000 targets inside Iran have been struck so far.
He stated that most of the targets included military installations and commercial facilities, and that the operations had significantly weakened Iran’s military infrastructure.
The US president further said that American forces had destroyed all Iranian vessels believed to be capable of laying naval mines.
He asserted that these actions had effectively eliminated the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy’s ability to deploy mines in key waterways.
Trump said there was still no confirmed evidence that Iran had actually placed mines in the waterway. However, he focused on that precautionary measures remain necessary to ensure the safety of international shipping routes.
The Strait of Hormuz is considered one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, with a significant portion of global oil shipments passing through it each day.
President Trump stressed that countries heavily dependent on the route should consider deploying their own naval assets to help secure the waterway.
He reasserted that maintaining stability in the region is a shared responsibility and that international partners must step forward to protect vital shipping lanes.
