US President Donald Trump stated on social media that several nations would dispatch warships to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open. (Image X @ALERTX360)
Washington: Before launching its attack on Iran, the United States reached out neither to NATO nor to its closest ally, Britain. A similar scenario had unfolded in Venezuela. Emboldened by its success in Venezuela, the US—with Israel by its side—leapt onto the battlefield in Iran. The expectation was that Iran would be brought to its knees within a matter of days, and that nations like China and Russia would be compelled to acknowledge the formidable might of American power.
However, Iran dashed those hopes. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump stated on social media that several nations would dispatch warships to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open. He expressed hope that China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain, and other countries would assist in keeping the Hormuz passage open.
This is the very same Trump who had gone so far as to tell Britain, "We no longer need you." Just a few days ago, he wrote on his social media handle: "At one time, the United Kingdom used to be a great ally of ours. Yet, today, they are still merely 'seriously considering' sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East to assist us. That is fine. I wish to inform Prime Minister Starmer that we no longer require their assistance." Trump further added, "However, we will certainly remember this. We have no need for people who wish to join our side only after the war has already been won."
The irony is that Trump is now expressing hope that even China will dispatch its warships against Iran—the very same China that Trump works tirelessly, day and night, to contain. He initiated his tariff campaign against China; and now—in an effort to topple China from its position as the global kingpin of supply chains and critical minerals—he has set his sights on regions ranging from Venezuela to Panama and Greenland. Trump is also fully aware that Iran and China share excellent diplomatic ties, and that China would never side with the United States against Iran. Yet, despite this knowledge, he continues to openly express such hopes.
In reality, by taking this step, Trump aims to deflect the blame for any potential shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz away from himself and pin it onto other nations. Should pressure mount, he will be able to claim that he extended an invitation to everyone, yet no one showed up. Significantly, even Trump's own military appears to have left him in the lurch. While Trump had previously stated that the U.S. Navy would escort all vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military subsequently declared that such an operation is not currently feasible. Thus, Trump has now tossed the ball into the court of others.
Donald Trump may have thrown the ball, but no one—not even his own allies—is willing to catch it. Turkey, a NATO partner of the United States, has washed its hands of this conflict. According to the TASS news agency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking at an Iftar dinner hosted during the month of Ramadan, stated that while Turkey stands ready to confront any threats, it is taking necessary precautions to avoid becoming embroiled in the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Referring to a missile fired by Iran that entered Turkish airspace, Erdoğan remarked, "We are implementing the necessary security measures to counter any threat involving the violation of our airspace—much like the incident that occurred last night. Our primary objective is to safeguard our nation from this peril."
On Friday, the Turkish Ministry of Defence reported that NATO forces stationed in the Mediterranean Sea had successfully intercepted and destroyed a missile fired from Iran that had penetrated Turkish airspace. This marks the third such incident since March 4. While Turkey has at least made its stance clear, other nations have yet to even issue a statement regarding Trump's "Hormuz invitation." It is evident that Trump, having chosen to proceed alone, now appears increasingly isolated as he edges closer to war.
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