Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claims regarding the Strait of Hormuz as “bluff and bluster,” stressing that the confrontation is now primarily centred on severe economic sanctions targeting Iran’s trade networks.

Speaking to ANI, Sachdev commented on Trump’s repeated sharing of a graphic labelling the Strait of Hormuz as “NEW US Territory.” He noted that Trump has often declared complete victory in this standoff, claiming Hormuz is open and that the waterway belongs to America. Sachdev described these remarks as rhetoric without substance, saying they appear to be bluff and bluster rather than grounded in reality.

The assessment comes amid heightened friction between Washington and Tehran after Trump reiterated his territorial assertions on social media. His repost on Truth Social followed earlier remarks at a police academy gathering on Long Island, where he stated that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz as US territory.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei rejected Washington’s stance, declaring that the gap between America’s inability to reopen the Strait and its claim to own it was greater than the 7,000-mile distance between Washington and the Strait itself. He added, “Welcome to the post-American order in the Persian Gulf.”

Despite the escalating posturing over the waterway, Sachdev emphasised that Washington’s primary focus remains on enforcing stringent financial restrictions designed to choke off both Iranian imports and exports. He explained that America is now imposing very severe economic sanctions against Iran, targeting not only its oil exports but also its imports.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to outline what he has described as “the toughest sanctions in history” against Tehran. He has called on Beijing to cooperate with Washington concerning Iranian oil shipments. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denounced the planned restrictions on X, stating that such secondary sanctions have no foundation in international law.

Sachdev elaborated on the fallout, pointing out that key regional commercial partners are already feeling the impact as Washington moves to sever Tehran’s international trade lifelines. He noted that the UAE has already suspended all trade with Iran, which amounted to about $30 billion annually, making the UAE one of Iran’s top five trading partners.

Beyond the Gulf, Sachdev observed that Washington is applying pressure to neighbouring economies with substantial commercial ties to Tehran. He highlighted that Iraq’s bilateral trade with Iran is around $12 billion and that America will also pressure Turkey, which buys pipelined natural gas from Iran worth over $3 billion annually.

This economic campaign aligns with Trump’s warning to foreign governments against providing Tehran with “any type of lifeline.” In response, Mohsen Rezaei issued a stern warning to neighbouring states against aligning with US-led measures, asserting that Tehran would consider them enemies if they joined the economic war.

Meanwhile, the critical waterway remains blocked to unapproved traffic. While Trump continues to designate the passage as US territory, Tehran insists that the transit route will remain shut unless Washington alters its policy. Despite the impasse, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for diplomatic engagement to resolve the standoff, emphasising that Tehran should aim to end the conflict while safeguarding its national strength and dignity.

The situation underscores the widening gulf between Washington’s aggressive sanctions campaign and Tehran’s defiance, with regional economies caught in the crossfire. The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, symbolising both the rhetoric of territorial claims and the reality of economic warfare.

ANI