A senior Iranian figure has made one thing abundantly clear -- the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until "criminal" US President Donald Trump and "bloodthirsty" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are removed from power.
Reporting from CBS News confirmed that Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, a political adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, made the bold declaration, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRNA.
Our fighters will not open the Strait of Hormuz until they bring the criminal Trump and the bloodthirsty Netanyahu down from the seat of power.
As Donald Trump's war with Iran stretches well into its seventh month and counting, traffic through the critical shipping waterway has plummeted to its "lowest level yet" while global oil prices have skyrocketed to record-breaking heights.
The American people have been left to suffer through the consequences of this war with no recourse and no end in sight, as The Washington Post warns, "the worst is yet to come."
Meanwhile, Trump is telling Americans that the crippling gas prices they're suffering are a "very inexpensive price to pay" to achieve his agenda.
Given Trump's flippant, dismissive approach to the suffering of the very people he swore to protect as president of this nation, many of those very same people are publicly expressing their support for Iran's demands.
Former Republican congressional candidate Ian Smith took to X and wrote, "Honestly, I'm down with this."
Honestly, I'm down with this. Fuck it. https://t.co/og9C27dAuL
— Ian Smith, Sr. (@iansmithfitness) September 17, 2026
Political commentator Dash Dobrovsky said it "sounds like a great deal."
Iran just came out and said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until both Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are removed from power.
Not gonna lie, this sounds like a great deal to mehttps://t.co/nyuc7GSa3e— Dash Dobrofsky (@DashDobrofsky) September 17, 2026
Senior fellow and media host at the Ron Paul Institute, Chris Rossini, pointed out the direct contradictions between Iran's newest demand and Trump's repeated claims that Iran is "begging" to make a deal with him.
Trump has said for (how many months now) that Iran is begging for a deal.
Doesn't seem like it, by their actions, or their words 👇 https://t.co/tATOEB7x2I— Chris Rossini (@ChrisRossini) September 17, 2026
When your own citizens begin to float the idea of trading you off to bring an end to the bullshit war you never should've started... Perhaps it's time to hang up the ole hat.
