US Prepared for Prolonged Standoff with Iran

The United States is prepared for a prolonged standoff with Iran, with disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz potentially lasting a year or longer, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told the Financial Times on Friday.

Waltz said a stalemate could persist without an agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme and that the United States could maintain its blockade of Iranian ports for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Iranian lawmaker Fada Hossein Maleki warned that regional countries supporting Washington in a renewed conflict would be considered hostile to Tehran and could face strikes on their military bases, according to RIA Novosti.