Highlights
- Trump has demanded around seven countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
- Oil prices have gone past $100 per barrel since US operations began two weeks ago.
- Iran says it sees no reason to talk to America about ending the war.
Trump said he was demanding these countries "come in and protect their own territory." He added it would be "interesting to see which country wouldn't help us with a very small endeavour, which is just keeping the Strait open."
Around 20 per cent of the world's oil passes through the strait every day making it one of the most important shipping routes in the world.
Iran fights back
Iran has been blocking ships in the strait using sea mines and small boats pushing oil prices above $100 per barrel.
Petrol prices in the US have gone up by more than 70 cents per gallon. Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had been asked by several countries for safe passage and that this was a decision for Iran's military.
He added that Iran saw "no reason" to talk to America about ending the war saying the US and Israel started the fighting on 28 February during nuclear talks.
Trump said the US had "essentially defeated Iran" adding: "We have taken out their air forces and air defence. They have no air defence whatsoever. We have taken out their leadership."
He said Iran's missiles were running low and that its ability to make drones had dropped to about 20 per cent of what it once was.
Republicans in Congress have pushed the White House to act fast to stop rising fuel costs from hurting the economy but Trump has so far resisted calls to end the war quickly.
