By Chokri Baccouche
A concern is not necessarily an encircled idiot, said the famous French comedian Raymond Devos in one of his sketches. Applying this quote of exceptional spiritual finesse to the prevailing situation in the Middle East, we can say that Iranians may be concerned and possibly encircled on the side of the Strait of Hormuz, but they are far from being fools.
Proof of this is, after announcing the complete reopening of this strategic maritime route for commercial ships the day before, Tehran has decided to re-lock it in retaliation for the US blockade on Iranian ports.
“Iran has ‘in good faith agreed to allow the passage of a limited number of tankers and commercial ships’ but the Americans, violating their commitment, ‘continue to engage in acts of piracy under the guise of the so-called blockade’,” announced the Iranian armed forces command.
“For this reason, the situation has returned to its previous state, and this strategic passage is now under our strict control,” he added.
It must be said that Donald Trump evidently has no intention of lifting the blockade. In fact, on Friday night, he declared that he will maintain it if no peace agreement is reached with Tehran, mentioning the possibility of not extending the ceasefire set to expire this Wednesday, April 22.
Clearly, the showdown between the United States and Iran has turned into a game of cat and mouse near a big switch: you block our ports? Fine! Then, no one passes. Just when everyone hoped for a de-escalation of tensions, a return to square one is initiated because of the morbid obstinacy, it must be acknowledged, of the American president who persists in mistakenly believing that only threats, violence, and arrogance can settle the situation and allow the US to always have its way.
To put it bluntly, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is not a sudden display of irrationality. It is a brutal response, albeit to an American policy that now openly falls into economic and military coercion.
The facts are there: Washington imposes a naval blockade on Iranian ports while at the same time demanding free maritime movement in the region. This stance is not only incoherent, it is profoundly cynical. Donald Trump, always equal to his immoderate self-centeredness and legendary arrogance, essentially wants it all – to impose their will and dictate the terms. In reality, none of the goals set by Washington and its Israeli ally since the start of this sordid war against Iran has been achieved.
On the contrary, the mullahs’ regime not only holds firm but has shown impressive resilience that now propels Iran as an undeniable and uncontested regional power.
If the American president persists in thinking that by maintaining the blockade on Iranian ports he can force Tehran to accept a peace agreement according to his expectations, then it can be truly said that he believes in Santa Claus. For objective reasons, this is unlikely to happen.
The White House would be well advised to face reality and understand that the times of omnipotence and hegemony in international relations are coming to an end, as confirmed by the ongoing geopolitical upheavals in a world moving towards a complex multipolarity.
While major powers like the United States and China remain dominant, they can no longer impose their will unilaterally and must deal with a multitude of other actors, which is certainly better for everyone, especially for vulnerable nations.
As we wait for reason to prevail and for Donald Trump to show better intentions, the world is faced with a yo-yo geopolitics against the backdrop of a three-step waltz: the Strait of Hormuz is closed, then open, then closed again. This is enough to confuse the captains of the hundreds of ships stuck in limbo for months, forced to move forward then stop before turning back due to the capricious moods of Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, it is obviously the international energy market that doesn’t know which way to turn, dragging all the world’s economies into disarray and uncertainty.
C.B.
