Trump: Qatar, Saudi Arabia prefer Iran blockade
Shafaq News- Washington
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and other countries prefer the US to maintain its naval blockade of Iran and continue Operation Iron Gate, US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said there was agreement that Iran could not have a nuclear weapon, a position he called “non-negotiable.”
The US is “locked and loaded” and ready to act if the situation in the Middle East changes. Trump said such a change appeared unlikely, however, and that he saw “positive momentum” toward ending the conflict, while Israel and the wider Middle East were protected from Iranian threats.
In an interview with Reuters earlier today, Trump said Qatar and Saudi Arabia wanted a peaceful solution and signaled he was in no rush to resume strikes.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei separately said Tehran wanted an end to hostilities on all fronts and the lifting of US sanctions and the naval blockade before negotiations could resume.
On November 7, CENTCOM said its commander had ordered the formation of Task Force Iron Gate, a team of about 20 military and civilian personnel based in Tampa, Florida. The team will work with other US agencies to disrupt the flow of advanced weapons, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illicit revenue across Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea. Washington first imposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports on April 13 and resumed it on July 14.
