Trump Says He’s “Permanently Opening” the Strait of Hormuz for China

U.S. President Donald Trump says China is “very happy” with American efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Writing on Truth Social, he claimed Beijing has agreed not to send weapons to Iran.

“China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing it for them, also – And the World. This situation will never happen again,” Trump wrote.

He added that he expects a “big, fat hug” from Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visits Beijing in May.

The comments come as the U.S. military confirmed its blockade of Iranian ports is now fully in place, stating that American forces have “completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.” Iran’s commanders called the blockade “illegal” and warned they could shut down shipping in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and even the Red Sea through allied groups.

Al Jareeza reports that maritime tracking data on Tuesday indicated that several ships sailing from Iranian ports had crossed the Strait of Hormuz despite the blockade.

At the same time, both sides are still passing messages through Pakistan after peace talks broke down over the weekend. Iran says it is waiting for the U.S. to show it is serious about negotiations, while rejecting some American demands as unrealistic.

Meanwhile, the fighting in the region continues to take lives. Local authorities report more than 5,500 people killed in Iran and Lebanon over the past six weeks. Israel says it struck over 200 Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon in the past 24 hours, and its security cabinet is meeting today to discuss a possible ceasefire, as reported by CNN.

The two-week U.S.–Iran truce is set to expire on April 22.