Trump says Iranian ships will be ‘eliminated’ as US naval blockade begins

Trump says Iranian ships will be ‘eliminated’ as US naval blockade beginsIran describes the siege against its ports as the US president’s ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy.Iran has suggested that the United States’ blockade on Iranian ports will only hurt the interntional economy after President Donald Trump ordered a naval siege against the country.“Can an illegal ‘war of choice’ be won through a ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy?!” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday. “Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?!”Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Pakistan eyes narrow window to resuscitate US-Iran talks after breakdownlist 2 of 3Trump’s threat to blockade Hormuz: Why it’s the latest major escalationlist 3 of 3Trump warns Tehran ships ‘will be eliminated’ as US blockades Iranian portsend of listTrump had warned Iranian military ships from approaching the blockade zone.“Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated – 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, ‘fast attack ships,’ because we did not consider them much of a threat,” Trump wrote in a social media post.“Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED.”The blockade, which Trump announced on Sunday after US and Iranian negotiators failed to reach a deal after a round of talks in Pakistan, came into effect on Monday at 10am in Washington, DC (14:00 GMT).The US move risks setting the stage for a major escalation that could fray the fragile ceasefire between the two countries.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre announced earlier that it had been notified that the US blockade will apply “without distinction” to ships engaging with Iranian ports and oil terminals.“The restrictions encompass the entirety of the Iranian coastline, including the ports and energy infrastructure,” UKMTO, which is affiliated with the British Royal Navy, said in an advisory.Although the two-week truce stipulated that Iran would open the Strait of Hormuz, vessel traffic has not increased in the strategic waterway since the ceasefire was announced last week.