US President Trump told Axios he's going to keep Iran under a naval blockade until the regime agrees to a deal that addresses U.S. concerns about its nuclear program, Axios reports.
Why it matters: Trump is rejecting an Iranian proposal to first open the Strait of Hormuz and lift the blockade, while postponing nuclear talks to a later stage.
Behind the scenes: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has prepared a plan for a "short and powerful" wave of strikes on Iran in hopes of breaking the negotiating deadlock, three sources with knowledge said.
After the strikes, which would likely include infrastructure targets, the U.S. would press the regime to come back to the negotiating table and show more flexibility.
Trump told Axios he saw the blockade as "somewhat more effective than the bombing," and the sources said he had yet to order any kinetic action as of Tuesday night.
He did post an AI-generated meme of himself holding a gun with a warning to Iran and the tagline, "NO MORE MR. NICE GUY."
For now, Trump sees continuing the blockade as his primary source of leverage, but he would consider military action if it Iran still won't cave, according to the sources. He declined to discuss any military plans in Wednesday's phone interview, which lasted around 15 minutes.
What he's saying: "The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing. They are choking like a stuffed pig. And it is going to be worse for them. They can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump told Axios.
He claimed that Iran wants to reach a deal in order to lift the blockade. "They want to settle. They don't want me to keep the blockade. I don't want to [lift the blockade], because I don't want them to have a nuclear weapon," Trump added.
The President added that Iran's oil storage and pipelines "are getting close to exploding" because Iran can't export oil due to the blockade. Some analysts doubt that Iran is in immediate danger on that front.
The other side: A senior Iranian security source quoted by English-language state media PRESS TV said on Wednesday the U.S. naval blockade "will soon be met with practical and unprecedented action."
The source added Iran's armed forces have shown restraint in order to give diplomacy a chance and provide Trump with an opportunity to end the war, but stressed Iran's armed forces "believe that patience has limits and that a punishing response is necessary" if the blockade continues.
What to watch: Trump said negotiations with Iran are still ongoing and claimed the Iranians had come a long way.
"The question is whether or not they are gonna go far enough. At this moment there will never be a deal unless they agree that there will never be nuclear weapons," Trump said.
