Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, says the US naval blockade of Iran has backfired on President Trump and is making the situation much worse.
“The negotiations were taking place and could have continued regardless of the blockade,” Parsi told Al Jazeera.
“The blockade has nothing to do with the Iranians being at the table. If anything, it is blocking diplomatic progress more than anything else.”
He argued that Trump had actually secured his greatest advantage through diplomacy before the blockade was imposed.
“Once he managed to get the ceasefire, the primary pressure on him, the war itself and the way it was pushing up gas prices, was lifted. Had he stayed in that scenario and used time to his advantage, he would have been in a much stronger position vis-a-vis the Iranians, because the Iranians had not managed to get the key thing they wanted: sanctions relief.”
Instead, by imposing the blockade, Trump took more oil off the market.
“Oil prices are now higher during the ceasefire than they were during the war itself. All of these economic indicators show that the blockade is making the situation worse for Trump,” Parsi said.
Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe
Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/
Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/
Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile
#StraitOfHormuz #Iran #US #DonaldTrump #USIranTalks #USIranCeasefire #USIsraelWarOnIran #IranWar #OperationEpicFury #GulfMaritimeSecurity #HormuzAttacks #USBlockadeOnIran #HormuzBlockade #USNavalBlockadeOnIran #AlJazeeraEnglish
