White House cautions Iran over potential closure of Strait of Hormuz
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt cautioned Iran against closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to President Donald Trump’s bombing of the country’s three nuclear sites.
“I can assure you the administration is actively and closely monitoring the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian regime would be foolish to make that decision,” Leavitt told reporters during a gaggle Monday morning, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key water route for oil and gas, with any disruption likely leading to higher gas prices in the U.S. A quarter of the world’s oil passes through the strait, which is roughly 100 miles long and 21 miles wide.
The press secretary’s comments mirror Secretary of State Marco Rubio‘s statements, also warning Iran against closing the strait.
“It would be a suicidal move on their part because the whole world would come against them if they did that,” Rubio said on CBS News’s Face the Nation on Sunday.
The president floated the possibility of “regime change” in Iran after other U.S. leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, claimed the attacks against the Middle Eastern nation were not an effort to topple its leaders.
“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
Leavitt further explained that Trump was raising questions about the future of Iran if it continues on its quest for nuclear weapons.
“The President was just simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking,” Leavitt explained. “If the Iranian regime refuses to give up their nuclear program or engage in talks — we just took out their nuclear program on Saturday night, as you all know — but if they refuse to engage in diplomacy moving forward, why shouldn’t the Iranian people rise up against this brutal terrorist regime? That’s a question the president raised last night.”
Trump is scheduled to meet with his national security team later Monday afternoon behind closed doors.
News.Az
