US mulls ‘winding down’ Iran Op, calls on South Korea, others to help secure Hormuz

Washington: US President Donald Trump has said that his administration is considering “winding down” its military operation against Iran, while calling on South Korea, China, Japan and other countries to get involved in efforts to secure the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Trump made the remarks in a social media post on Friday (local time), claiming that the United States is moving “very close” to achieving the objectives of its military campaign, including destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, its defence industrial base and its navy and air forces, and denying it any ability to gain nuclear arms.

“We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

His remarks came amid growing concerns about the economic repercussions of the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, as oil prices have risen, fueling expectations of an increase in inflation.

Trump also stressed that the Strait of Hormuz will have to be “guarded and policed as necessary by other nations who use it.”

Iran has effectively choked off the strait — responsible for about a fifth of the world’s oil supply — as the US and Israel continue their campaign of airstrikes that kicked off in late February, reports Yonhap news agency.

“The United States does not! If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated,” he said. “Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them.”

During a press availability at the White House earlier in the day, Trump said that South Korea, China, Japan and other countries have to get involved in efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, stressing their reliance on the strategic waterway for energy imports.

Earlier this week, Trump stated that the US no longer needs naval assistance from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries or other nations amid their apparent reluctance to respond to Trump’s request for support to keep the strait open.

“We don’t use the strait. We don’t need it. Europe needs it. Korea, Japan, China, (and) a lot of other people,” he said when asked if the US plans to escort merchant ships through the strait with or without allies.

“So they’ll have to get involved a little bit on that one,” he added.

Responding to a question about whether he wants South Korea to provide support for the efforts to unblock the strait, Trump pointed out that the US has helped the Asian country “a lot.”

“I love South Korea. We have a great relationship with South Korea, where we’re helping South Korea a lot,” he said.

IANS