Hormuz spat: Iran mocks Trump for ‘blocking them’ with ‘100% Dr’ sarcasm

Iran mocked U.S. president on Monday Donald Trump Earlier in the day, he mocked his lockdown statement with a meme that read “Break the enemy’s blockade by blocking the enemy’s blockade.”In addition to memes, Iran has also mocked Trump by writing in his style. “Believe me, I 100 percent have a Ph.D., okay? From the best university in the world. The best. Totally true. Everybody knows that. Frankly, you will be very grateful to me for educating you. No one is better educated than me,” it reads.Trump’s threat to block the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Iran collapsed over the weekend could widen the conflict, now entering its seventh week, pushing up oil prices and raising concerns about new global economic pressures.The U.S. military said it would block all maritime traffic in and out of Iranian ports starting Monday (Washington time), while allowing ships that do not dock in Iran to pass through the strait. Tehran quickly rejected the move, with senior adviser Mohsen Rezai warning that Iran “will not allow” such an embargo and retains “a lot of untapped leverage” to deal with it.The escalation comes after marathon talks in Pakistan collapsed, casting doubt on a fragile ceasefire agreed days earlier. The talks, chaired by U.S. Vice President Vance and Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, broke down over disagreements over the future of Iran’s nuclear program.Speaking on Sunday, Trump expressed indifference to resuming diplomacy, claiming that Washington had achieved key military goals, including reducing Iran’s missile and drone capabilities.“If they don’t come back, I’ll be fine,” he said.Earlier, he struck a more aggressive tone, declaring that the United States was “loaded and loaded” and ready to “annihilate” Iran’s remaining military capabilities. He also warned that any resistance would be met with retaliation, saying any attack on U.S. troops or commercial ships would be met with overwhelming force.The developments threaten to prolong a war that has already killed thousands and disrupted global energy markets. Oil and gas prices surged on Monday, with Brent crude rising more than 9% to near $104 a barrel, while European natural gas futures also rose sharply. Traders and refiners around the world are scrambling to secure crude supplies as physical flows tighten.The Strait of Hormuz – through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes – remains the most important artery for global energy. A blanket lockdown would severely limit remaining shipments and add to pressure on an already volatile market.While lockdowns are strategically decisive, their economic impact is rarely immediate, according to Bloomberg. The current ceasefire is set to expire on April 22, but tensions could lead to an earlier end. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that the presence of any foreign troops near the strait will be considered a violation.Since the U.S. and Israeli attacks began in late February, traffic through Hormuz has slowed significantly as Iran has tightened controls and imposed conditions on passage. While the United States has the ability to impose a blockade, analysts warn that it poses serious risks, including the possibility of direct attacks by Iranian missiles and drones on U.S. warships and the possibility of escalation against Iran-backed groups such as the Houthis.With allies hesitant to join the effort and global markets on edge, the threat of a blockade could itself be as serious as any waterborne operation — increasing the risk of miscalculation while shrinking an already shrinking diplomatic space.