With Iran now in de facto control of the strait, the system can involve government-to-government arrangements, intense vetting by the Iranian government, and sometimes fees in exchange for passage.
JD Vance said during a White House briefing that although the war with Iran is not a "forever war," an escalation in the absence of a diplomatic solution would serve long-term US security interests.
Iran yet to confirm if foreign minister will join UN Security Council talks • IRGC warns of broader attacks if war resumes • US-Saudi civil nuclear pact nears signing.
The US Navy spent weeks clearing mines from a route in the Strait of Hormuz meant for the safe passage of commercial ships, warning that the normal route is "extremely hazardous."
The US has recently stepped up sanctions on Iran through "Economic Fury," a program meant to disrupt Tehran's shadow banking networks and terrorist financing schemes.
The advancement on the resolution is a victory for lawmkaers who have been arguing that Congress, not the president, should have the power to send troops to war, as spelled out in the Constitution.
The head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, Raphael Grossi, warned that a direct hit on the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant would result in a "very high release of radioactivity."
Vance said he had just spoken to Trump, who stressed that the core issue for the US is that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.
“Iran’s shadow banking system facilitates the illicit transfer of funding for terrorist purposes,” said Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury.
Those who signed up for the “self-sacrifice” scheme have agreed to carry out actions like forming human chains around power stations.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei called US claims a "shameless distortion" and an attempt to obscure the reality of the attack.
