President Donald Trump has told US national security officials to prepare for a long blockade of Iran's ports in order to compel Tehran to give up its nuclear program, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Trump, according to the report, does not believe that Iran is negotiating in good faith and hopes it can be forced to suspend uranium enrichment for 20 years and accept tight restrictions thereafter.
"They better get smart soon!" Trump declared, in a post on his social media platform.
Citing unnamed officials, the Journal said Trump had decided during a Monday meeting in the White House situation room that both resuming bombing or walking away from the conflict were too risky.
Instead, he reportedly told officials, the US Navy would continue to squeeze Iran's key oil exports until Tehran agrees to all of Washington's demands.
Meanwhile, Trump and his top officials met with oil and gas executives including Chevron CEO Mike Wirth at the White House on Tuesday to discuss the energy fallout of the Iran war and other topics, Axios reported on Wednesday.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were present, and topics for the meeting included domestic production, progress in Venezuela, oil futures, natural gas and shipping, according to the Axios report.
