Iran Sounds Like It's Scrambling to Save Face in Response to Trump's Action in the Strait

RedState 

As we reported earlier, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would be taking control of the Strait of Hormuz, blocking ships as they cleared the area for mines, and then saying it would be open to all. Basically, they would be cutting off Iran's ability to use it as a chokehold. 

Trump said they would not be allowed to profit from their actions in the Strait. 

The US has also deployed minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz to rebuild confidence among oil vessels seeking to traverse the critical chokepoint in the future. 

“We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits. Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!” Trump warned.

The U.S. already demonstrated that power by having two warships transit the Strait, and Iran was unable to stop them. 

So that's left Iran scrambling to save face.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy hit back, insisting it has “full control” of the Strait and that the waterway remains open for non-military vessels.

“Contrary to the false claims of certain enemy officials, the Strait of Hormuz is open for the passage of non-military vessels under smart control and management, in accordance with specific regulations,” the naval forces said in a statement, according to two semi-official Iranian news agencies.

The IRGC warned that any approach by military vessels toward the Strait would be treated as a violation of a cease-fire agreement.

Well, first, they weren't able to stop the two ships that had already gone through. Then, second, if it's supposed to be open, as they agreed to according to the ceasefire, and ships are addressing the question of the mines they claim they left in the Strait, they should be happy we're helping them fulfill their obligation. 

Then, too, it sounded like the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian realized that they'd overplayed a weak hand, because he told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a call that he thought achieving a deal was "not out of reach." Trump predicted they would be forced to "come back and they give us everything we want." 

"I told my people, I want everything. I don't want 90%, I don't want 95%. I told them, I want everything. They have no cards," Trump told Sunday Morning Futures' Maria Bartiromo. 

Number one on that hit parade is making sure they can never have a nuclear weapon. But continuing to play games will only ensure that they get clobbered and their options diminish further.