According to a report by The Times Of Israel on April 29, 2026, US President Donald Trump told Axios that he rejected an Iranian proposal that sought to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Washington lifting its blockade on Iran, while stressing that nuclear negotiations remain on hold for now. He made it clear that the United States is not prepared to ease pressure on Tehran at this stage, insisting that any shift in policy must be tied to a formal nuclear agreement.
Trump reiterated that the US will maintain its blockade until a deal is reached, arguing that continued economic pressure is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “They want to settle. They don’t want me to keep the blockade. I don’t want to [end the blockade] because I don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon,” he says.
He further argued that the blockade is more effective than military action. “The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing,” Trump says. “They are choking like a stuffed pig. And it is going to be worse for them. They can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
The US president also warned that Iran’s energy sector could soon face severe disruption if it is unable to continue exporting oil, saying its infrastructure was “going to explode soon” under current conditions.
Meanwhile, three sources familiar with the situation told a US outlet that the US Central Command has prepared a “short and powerful” bombing campaign aimed at pressuring Iran to accept American demands. According to the officials, the planned strikes would primarily target infrastructure sites. They added that the operation is intended to be swift but impactful, designed to increase pressure on Tehran amid stalled diplomatic talks and rising regional tensions…Read_More…