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White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller said that the United States' naval blockade against Iran in the Persian Gulf is "squeezing the economic life" out of the Islamic Republic, while reiterating Washington's firm opposition to Tehran acquiring nuclear weapons as part of the deal to achieve a complete end to the hostilities in West Asia.
In an interview with Fox News, Miller emphasised that US President Donald Trump remains committed to pursuing peace but will not compromise on preventing Iran from developing nuclear capabilities. "President Trump has made clear: he wants peace, he wants a deal, he wants Iran to choose the right path -- but he will not allow Iran to pursue or achieve nuclear weapons," Miller said. He further underscored Trump's leadership approach, stating, "President Trump is a man who doesn't bluff. He is a man who follows through." Miller also referred to the recent military action by Washington on Iran under "Operation Epic Fury," claiming that Iran suffered a significant military setback after declining an earlier opportunity for negotiations. He added that following the two-week ceasefire agreement, the US pushed for a deal, but found Iran's terms "not satisfactory." "Before Operation Epic Fury, he gave Iran a chance to do the right thing. They declined, and they sustained the greatest battlefield defeat, thrashing, military annihilation we've seen in modern history. Then, after the ceasefire, President Trump said to make a deal," the White House Deputy Chief of Staff said. According to Miller, this led to a shift in US strategy, including the implementation of a naval blockade on Iranian ports by the US Navy, which restricts the movement of vessels to and from the ports of the Islamic Republic. "The Iranian terms were not satisfactory, so President Trump flipped the table on Iran and implemented the naval blockade, and with the blockade, President Trump is resetting the entire global order," he added. Highlighting Trump's direct involvement, Miller noted that the US President is actively engaged in the negotiations alongside his team in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief. Reiterating Washington's stance, Miller said, "President Trump is a man of peace. President Trump wants peace, President Trump wants stability, but President Trump has also been clear. America will not be trifled with, America will not be bullied, and America will never, ever, ever be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran -- not now, not ever." "The US has all the cards, Iran does not," he added. Miller further stated that the ongoing embargo is exerting significant pressure on Tehran, saying, "This embargo is squeezing the economic life out of the Iranian regime." His remarks come amid an announcement by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday that a comprehensive blockade of Iran's ports has been successfully implemented, with US forces asserting maritime dominance across key regional waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said that within 36 hours of the operation's launch, US forces had effectively halted all maritime trade entering and leaving Iran. Meanwhile, CENTCOM, earlier today, said that USS Spruance, an Aegis guided-missile destroyer, forced an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel to turn back to Iran, marking the latest enforcement action under the ongoing naval blockade in the region. In a post on X, CENTCOM said the incident took place after the vessel attempted to evade restrictions imposed since the blockade began. "Yesterday, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel tried to evade the U.S. blockade after leaving Bandar Abbas, exiting the Strait of Hormuz, and transiting along the Iranian coastline. The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) successfully redirected the vessel, which is heading back to Iran," the statement said. "Ten vessels have now been turned around and ZERO ships have broken through since the start of the U.S. blockade on Monday," it added. (ANI)
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