The US president made the appeal in his first address to the nation since ordering airstrikes in Iran

US President Donald Trump has urged countries that buy oil from the Middle East to unblock the Strait of Hormuz by force unless Iran reopens the vital shipping route to all vessels.

He made the appeal in his first address to the nation on Wednesday, after weeks of chastising NATO members for refusing to send warships to the region and join the US and Israel in their war efforts.

"To those countries that can't get fuel, many of which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran... build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait and just take it. Protect it," Trump said. He argued that securing the strait would be easy, saying the US had "decimated" Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and "dramatically curtailed" its drone and missile capabilities.

In his address, Trump vowed to intensify airstrikes over the next two to three weeks, suggesting the war would continue if Iran refuses to accept his demands.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has triggered a global energy shock that Washington has struggled to contain, sending oil prices surging and pushing fuel costs sharply higher for consumers worldwide. The conflict has effectively choked flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for roughly one-fifth of global oil supply.

Global crude prices have spiked above $100 a barrel, with Brent rising more than 60% in March to around $118 and US West Texas Intermediate climbing past $100, marking the steepest monthly gains in decades. US consumers were also hit as average gas prices rose above $4 a gallon this week for the first time since 2022.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed this week that he had been receiving messages from Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, but denied that the countries were holding talks behind the scenes.

Iranian officials have said that Tehran would end the conflict on its own terms and accused the US of sabotaging previous negotiations.

(RT.com)