Trump plans protracted blockade to pressure Iran on nuclear issue
The U.S. is maintaining economic sanctions and a port blockade against Iran to compel concessions on its nuclear development program. President Trump intends to continue the blockade until Iran meets demands such as dismantling its nuclear facilities, suggesting a long-term military presence in the Middle East.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 15:42
- 🔍 Collected: April 29, 2026 at 16:01 (18 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 07:09 (15h 7m after Collected)
America-Iran War Key News
Central Message
(Central News Agency, Washington, April 28, comprehensive foreign report) US officials revealed that US President Trump has instructed his staff to prepare for a long-term blockade of Iranian ports, aiming to target the financial lifeline of the Tehran regime and thereby pressure Iran to make concessions on nuclear issues that it has consistently refused for many years.
The Wall Street Journal reported that officials pointed out that in recent meetings, including yesterday's discussion in the White House Situation Room, Trump decided to continue to suppress Iran's economy and oil exports through blocking Iranian ports. Trump believes that whether it is resuming air strikes or withdrawing from the war, the risks are higher than maintaining the blockade.
However, the continuous blockade action prolongs the conflict, drives up oil prices, drags down Trump's approval ratings, weakens the Republican Party's election prospects in the midterm elections, and also causes the traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to drop to the lowest level since the outbreak of the war.
Since the US and Iran ceased fire and large-scale bombing operations on April 7, Trump has repeatedly avoided escalating the conflict, opting instead to leave room for diplomatic negotiations; prior to this, he had threatened to destroy Iranian civilization. Trump hopes to increase pressure on the Iranian regime until Iran accepts his core demands: the dismantling of all Iranian nuclear facilities.
According to the report, Trump told his aides that Iran's proposal of a three-stage plan, advocating to first deal with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and ceasefire issues, with the nuclear program to be discussed in later stages, proves Tehran's lack of sincerity in negotiations.
For now, Trump tends to maintain the blockade of Iranian ports indefinitely. He posted on his social media platform "Truth Social" today, saying that this move is pushing Iran towards collapse. A senior US official said that the blockade against Iran has significantly hurt its economy, causing its oil storage space to shrink rapidly, and also prompted Tehran to send signals of contact to Washington again.
In addition, officials revealed that Trump is unwilling to give up requiring Iran to suspend uranium enrichment for at least 20 years, and that subsequent related activities should be restricted.
This decision by Trump marks a new phase in the war and highlights that although he seeks quick, publicly promotable victories, there is no "one-shot victory" option in sight.
If the US unilaterally ends the conflict, it can quickly disengage and alleviate pressure on the US and global economies; if attacks are resumed, although Iran might be further weakened, it could provoke retaliation from Tehran against energy facilities or US warships in the Persian Gulf, raising the cost of war. Although the blockade can weaken Iran's finances, it also means that US forces must be deployed in the Middle East for a long time, and there is no guarantee that the Iranian regime will submit.
Suzanne Maloney, an Iran expert who is currently the vice president and director of foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution, said that Iran believes its ability to withstand blockade pressure and break through encirclement will be greater than the US's willingness to continue pressure in the face of escalating energy crises and global economic recession risks.
The White House spokesperson said that the US has achieved its military objectives and gained maximum negotiating leverage by blocking Iranian ports, emphasizing that Trump will only accept an agreement that guarantees US national security.
Due to the lack of a clear, decisive solution, some US officials believe that this eight-week-long conflict may ultimately not lead to a nuclear deal or a resumption of war.
Some US officials and Trump allies advocate for continued pressure on Iran, but business people are concerned that blocking the Strait of Hormuz or escalating conflict will impact the global economy and affect the US midterm elections.
The US originally planned to send a delegation to Pakistan for further negotiations with Iran, but decided to cancel the trip because Iran's proposal did not meet expectations. Iran stated that it needed to consult with its supreme leader before submitting a revised proposal.
German military expert Nico Lange pointed out that both sides seem to believe that their judgment is correct and that time is on their side, which may lead to continued deadlock in negotiations.
As blockade pressure intensifies, the US is also concerned that Iran may try to force Washington to choose between escalating conflict and making concessions by attacking energy facilities or US warships. (Compiler: Liu Wen-yu) 1150429
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Central Message
(Central News Agency, Washington, April 28, comprehensive foreign report) US officials revealed that US President Trump has instructed his staff to prepare for a long-term blockade of Iranian ports, aiming to target the financial lifeline of the Tehran regime and thereby pressure Iran to make concessions on nuclear issues that it has consistently refused for many years.
The Wall Street Journal reported that officials pointed out that in recent meetings, including yesterday's discussion in the White House Situation Room, Trump decided to continue to suppress Iran's economy and oil exports through blocking Iranian ports. Trump believes that whether it is resuming air strikes or withdrawing from the war, the risks are higher than maintaining the blockade.
However, the continuous blockade action prolongs the conflict, drives up oil prices, drags down Trump's approval ratings, weakens the Republican Party's election prospects in the midterm elections, and also causes the traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to drop to the lowest level since the outbreak of the war.
Since the US and Iran ceased fire and large-scale bombing operations on April 7, Trump has repeatedly avoided escalating the conflict, opting instead to leave room for diplomatic negotiations; prior to this, he had threatened to destroy Iranian civilization. Trump hopes to increase pressure on the Iranian regime until Iran accepts his core demands: the dismantling of all Iranian nuclear facilities.
According to the report, Trump told his aides that Iran's proposal of a three-stage plan, advocating to first deal with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and ceasefire issues, with the nuclear program to be discussed in later stages, proves Tehran's lack of sincerity in negotiations.
For now, Trump tends to maintain the blockade of Iranian ports indefinitely. He posted on his social media platform "Truth Social" today, saying that this move is pushing Iran towards collapse. A senior US official said that the blockade against Iran has significantly hurt its economy, causing its oil storage space to shrink rapidly, and also prompted Tehran to send signals of contact to Washington again.
In addition, officials revealed that Trump is unwilling to give up requiring Iran to suspend uranium enrichment for at least 20 years, and that subsequent related activities should be restricted.
This decision by Trump marks a new phase in the war and highlights that although he seeks quick, publicly promotable victories, there is no "one-shot victory" option in sight.
If the US unilaterally ends the conflict, it can quickly disengage and alleviate pressure on the US and global economies; if attacks are resumed, although Iran might be further weakened, it could provoke retaliation from Tehran against energy facilities or US warships in the Persian Gulf, raising the cost of war. Although the blockade can weaken Iran's finances, it also means that US forces must be deployed in the Middle East for a long time, and there is no guarantee that the Iranian regime will submit.
Suzanne Maloney, an Iran expert who is currently the vice president and director of foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution, said that Iran believes its ability to withstand blockade pressure and break through encirclement will be greater than the US's willingness to continue pressure in the face of escalating energy crises and global economic recession risks.
The White House spokesperson said that the US has achieved its military objectives and gained maximum negotiating leverage by blocking Iranian ports, emphasizing that Trump will only accept an agreement that guarantees US national security.
Due to the lack of a clear, decisive solution, some US officials believe that this eight-week-long conflict may ultimately not lead to a nuclear deal or a resumption of war.
Some US officials and Trump allies advocate for continued pressure on Iran, but business people are concerned that blocking the Strait of Hormuz or escalating conflict will impact the global economy and affect the US midterm elections.
The US originally planned to send a delegation to Pakistan for further negotiations with Iran, but decided to cancel the trip because Iran's proposal did not meet expectations. Iran stated that it needed to consult with its supreme leader before submitting a revised proposal.
German military expert Nico Lange pointed out that both sides seem to believe that their judgment is correct and that time is on their side, which may lead to continued deadlock in negotiations.
As blockade pressure intensifies, the US is also concerned that Iran may try to force Washington to choose between escalating conflict and making concessions by attacking energy facilities or US warships. (Compiler: Liu Wen-yu) 1150429
Choose to stand with facts. Every sponsorship of yours is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "Firsthand News" APP to get the latest news in real time.
The text, pictures, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, broadcast, transmitted, or used without authorization.